How long does it take to digest steak?

Red meat may take anywhere from 24 to 72 hours to digest in the average person's body. Several factors may contribute to digestion time. Medicine, metabolism and digestive troubles may cause a longer or shorter digestion time.

Steak and other red meat spends around four hours in the stomach being broken down, depending on the individual's metabolism rate. Once the meat has been broken down, it travels to the intestines. The nutrients are absorbed and distributed, and any waste is eliminated as excrement. The fat and protein in steak takes longer for the body to break down than the carbohydrates.