Our teeth start the process by chewing ... which works on fats. Hydrochloric acid likewise helps to dissolve the stomach contents while killing potentially harmful bacteria. The resulting semiflui ...

The human stomach is one of the least hospitable environments on Earth. This dark, muscular cavity is filled with a noxious brew of hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes designed to rip apart ...

Coffee, thanks to its caffeine content, stimulates the production of cortisol—also known as the stress hormone. Normally, cortisol levels are at their highest in the morning when we wake up, but ...

Hypochlorhydria, or low stomach acid, can cause a long list of digestive symptoms. Here’s how to identify – and fix – it ...

Although we usually use it for baking or to relieve heartburn, it also serves as a tool to evaluate our digestive ...

This reaction mirrors what happens in your stomach during digestion. Your stomach contains hydrochloric acid that, like the phosphoric acid in Coca-Cola, helps break down (denature) proteins in the ...

The hydrochloric acid in our stomachs does not break down food ... caught in mucus in the airways or consumed in food or water. Stomach acid is a chemical barrier against infection.