[andrei_says_]

> respiration is burning the food

Are we accepting that the complex biochemical mechanisms of the cells are identical to burning things in an open flame?

And, that every living human's body processes all foods in exactly the same way, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, time of day etc? Just like the open flame would?

[whiddershins]

I think the idea is, on a cellular level, it's actually the same chemical reaction.