Question

Why would it be detrimental if the digestive tract had stratified columnar epithelium instead of simple columnar epithelium?

Answer 1

Then the secretion of enzymes wouldn't take place so food cannot be digested.

Answer 2

Answer: There would be a functional problem if the digestive tract. The place for the food to be stored will be gone if the stratified columnar epithelia replace the simple columnar epithelia of the gastrointestinal tract.

The simple epithelial have only one layer of a cell whereas stratified epithelial cell has multiple layers.