Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal

Mary Roach turns her investigative lens to the human digestive system, tracing the journey of food from ingestion through elimination. Drawing on physiological research, historical medical practices, and interviews with physicians and laboratory scientists, the book examines how saliva breaks down starches, why stomach acid can dissolve metal, and what modern science reveals about gut bacteria and the brain. Roach approaches each stage of the alimentary canal with meticulous curiosity, balancing rigorous biochemical explanation with accessible narrative. The work explores both the biological mechanics of digestion and the cultural attitudes that have long surrounded bodily functions, revealing how contemporary medicine continues to unravel mysteries once dismissed as taboo. By following the path of a meal through the body, the book illuminates the complex interplay between physiology, behavior, and scientific discovery. Historical practices meet modern probiotic research throughout, all presented through a lens that treats the digestive tract as both a biological marvel and a subject worthy of serious inquiry.