Food Digestion Times: What Your Stomach Won’t Tell You

Understanding how long different foods take to digest can help you plan meals, avoid bloating, and support overall digestive health.

Fruits & Vegetables

Watery fruits (watermelon, melon): 20–30 min

Apples, pears, grapes: 30–40 min

Citrus fruits (oranges, kiwi, strawberries): 30–40 min

Raw vegetables (lettuce, cucumber): 30–40 min

Cooked vegetables (carrots, broccoli): 40–50 min

Carbohydrates

White bread, white rice, pasta: 1–2 hrs

Whole grains (quinoa, oats): 2 hrs

Potatoes, sweet potatoes: 1.5–2 hrs

Proteins