Final answer:
Absorption is the process by which broken-down food particles are taken up by the body's cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of absorption encompasses the journey of broken-down food particles from the digestive tract to all body cells. Food that has been broken down is of no value to the body unless it enters the bloodstream and its nutrients are put to work. This occurs through the process of absorption, which takes place primarily within the small intestine. There, most nutrients are absorbed from the lumen of the alimentary canal into the bloodstream through the epithelial cells that make up the mucosa.