Final answer:
Adjusting the consistency of food and liquids facilitates the absorption of nutrients from food.
Step-by-step explanation:
As food passes from the mouth to the intestine, it goes through changes in consistency and form. These changes facilitate the absorption of nutrients from food. When food is chewed and mixed with saliva in the mouth, it becomes a soft and moist bolus. This bolus is easier to swallow and can pass through the esophagus more easily. In the stomach, the bolus mixes with gastric juices to form a semi-liquid mixture called chyme. This chyme can be absorbed more efficiently by the small intestine, where most of the nutrient absorption takes place.