Ever wonder how long does various food stays in our stomach before it gets ’emptied’ ?

Here are the list of common food groups and their digestion times :

Water

When stomach is empty, water leaves immediately and goes to the intestines.

Juices

Fruit, Vegetables or Vegetable-based Broth -> 15 to 20 minutes.

Semi Liquid Food

Blended Salad, Vegetables or Fruits -> 20 to 30 minutes.

Fruits

Watermelon, Canteloupe, Honeydew, Oranges, Grapefruit, Grapes, Apples, Pears, Peaches, Cherries -> 30 to 40 minutes.

Vegetables (in Raw Tossed Salad form)

Tomatoes, Lettuces, Cucumber, Celerey, Red & Green Pepper -> 30 to 40 minutes.

Steamed Or Cooked Vegetables

Spinach, Kale, Collards, Zucchini, Broccoli, Cauliflower, String Beans, Yellow Squash, Corn On Cob, Carrots, Beets, Parsnips, Turnips -> 40 to 50 minutes.

Semi Concentrated Carbohydrates (Starch)

Corn, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Yam, Chestnuts -> 60 minutes.

Concentrated Carbohydrates (Grains)

Brown Rice, Millet, Buckwheat, Cornmeal, Oats -> 90 minutes.

Concentrated Carbohydrates and Proteins – Legumes and Beans

• Lentils, Lima Beans, Chick Peas, Peas, Pigeon Peas, Kidney Beans -> 90 minutes.
• Soybeans -> 120 minutes

Seeds and Nuts

Sunflower, Pumpkin, Sesame Seeds, Alomnds, Peanuts(raw form), Cashews, Brazil Nuts, Walnuts, Pecans -> 2.5 Hours to 3 hours.

Dairy

• Skim Milk, Cottage/Low-Fat Pot Cheese, Ricotta -> 90 minutes
• Whole Milk Cottage Cheese -> 120 Minutes
• Whole Milk Hard Cheese -> 4 to 5 hours

Animal Proteins

• Egg Yolk -> 30 minutes
• Whole Egg -> 45 minutes
• Salmon, Herring, Fatty-type Fish -> 45 to 60 minutes
• Chicken (without skin) -> 1.5 to 2 hours
• Turkey (without skin) -> 2 to 2.25 hours
• Beef, Lamb -> 3 to 4 hours
• Pork -> 4.5 to 5 hours