What is the digestive system?

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

What is the digestive system and what are the main structures of the system?

The digestive system consists of the mouth, the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine. It is important to take your time when you are eating so that the digestive system is not placed under excessive stress which could lead to discomfort.

Describe it! What is the digestive system and how does it work?

The digestive system

When food is consumed via the mouth it is chewed and broken down into smaller pieces and combined with saliva so that is is able to continue its journey and pass through the oesophagus. Chewing also releases  amylase which aids in breaking down starch.

Digestion is mainly an involuntary process. Once the food is swallowed, muscle contractions push the food down the oesophagus until it reaches the oesophageal sphincter which allows the food to pass through to the stomach. Once in the stomach, the process of churning begins. This where the food is thoroughly mixed with a hydrochloric acid based digestive fluid as well as other enzymes to break down proteins. The stomach then slowly empties its contents into the small intestine after it has been in the stomach for around 2-4 hours.

Within the small intestine, the food mixture is combined with bile, pancreatic juice and other intestinal enzymes to further digest and break it down. This makes it available for absorption through the small intestine’s wall where it can then enter the blood to be used by the cells. The small intestine is where the majority of the nutrient absorption take place.

What is the digestive system? An amazing system which we often take for granted!

From the small intestine, the mixture then passes into the large intestine which is filled with good bacteria which keep us healthy. Water is also reabsorbed as well as some more nutrients. Other components which cannot be absorbed (such as dietary fibre for example) are also stored in the large intestine.

Fibre is necessary to keep food moving through the system!! Any food that cannot be broken down further becomes faeces and is propelled into the colon and finally passes through the rectum and then through the anus.

If somebody asks you “what is the digestive system“? you will be able to give them a quick summary:-)

Kim:-)