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The small intestine is a long, highly convoluted tube in the digestive system that absorbs about 90% of the nutrients from the food we eat. It is given the name âsmall intestineâ because it is only 1 inch in diameter, making it less than half the diameter of the large intestine.
Absorption in the Small Intestine: General Mechanisms. Virtually all nutrients from the diet are absorbed into blood across the mucosa of the small intestine. In addition, the intestine absorbs water and electrolytes, thus playing a critical role in maintenance of body water and acid-base balance.retty impressive! This flow and accumulation of sodium is ultimately responsible for absorption of water, amino acids and carbohydrates. Aside from the electrochemical gradient of sodium just discussed, several other concepts are required to understand absorption in the small intestine.