Ingestion is the consumption of a substance by an organism. In animals, it normally is accomplished by taking in a substance through the mouth into the gastrointestinal tract, such as through eating or drinking. In single-celled organisms ingestion takes place by absorbing a substance through the cell membrane.

Does ingested mean swallowed?

As verbs the difference between swallow and ingest

is that swallow is to cause (food, drink etc) to pass from the mouth into the stomach; to take into the stomach through the throat while ingest is to take into the body, as for digestion.

What does it mean to ingest food?

Ingestion refers to the entry of substances into the body through swallowing.