Digestion begins in the mouth. Saliva mixes with food to begin the process.
Our digestive system is uniquely designed to turn the food we eat into nutrients that our body can use for energy, growth and cell repair.
Here's how our digestive system works, as explained by WebMD:
Stop 1: The Mouth
The mouth is the beginning of the digestive system. Once you start chewing and breaking the food down into pieces small enough to be digested, other mechanisms come into play. Saliva is produced to begin the process of breaking down food into a form your body can absorb and use. In addition, "juices" are produced that will help to further break down food.
Stop 2: The Pharynx and Esophagus
Also called the throat, the pharynx is the portion of the digestive tract that receives the food from your mouth. Branching off the pharynx is the esophagus, which carries food to the stomach. Food is pushed through the esophagus and into the stomach by means of a series of contractions called peristalsis.
Stop 3: The Stomach and Small Intestine
In addition to holding food, stomach serves as the mixer and grinder of food. It secretes acid and powerful enzymes that continue the process of breaking the food down and changing it to a consistency of liquid or paste. From there, food moves to the small intestine.
The small intestine is made up of three segments -- the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum -- the small intestine also breaks down food using enzymes released by the pancreas and bile from the liver. The duodenum is largely responsible for the continuing breakdown process, with the jejunum and ileum being mainly responsible for absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream.
While food is in the small intestine, nutrients are absorbed through the walls and into the bloodstream. What's leftover (the waste) moves into the large intestine (large bowel or colon).
Stop 4: The Colon, Rėctum, and Ąnus
The colon (large intestine) is a five- to seven -foot -long muscular tube that connects the small intestine to the rėctum. It is a highly specialized organ that is responsible for processing waste so that defecation (excretion of waste) is easy and convenient.
The rėctum is an eight-inch chamber that connects the colon to the ąnus. The rėctum: receives stool from the colon; lets the person know there is stool to be evacuated; holds the stool until evacuation happens.
The ąnus is the last part of the digestive tract. It consists of the muscles that line the pelvis (pelvic floor muscles) and two other muscles called anąl sphincters (internal and external).
The internal sphincter keeps us continent (not releasing stool) when we are asleep or otherwise unaware of the presence of stool. When we get an urge to defecate (go to the bathroom), we rely on our external sphincter to keep the stool in until we can get to the toilet.
Tip! Learn these 5 Ways to Improve Your Digestion Naturally shared by The Real Food Dietitians.