The Digestive System

Digestion  

The digestive system is used to process food, which is used for energy it needs to maintain and repair.  When you eat, your teeth grind, munch and crunch then shred the food while mixing it with saliva. Next, the food moves down a tube called the esophagus to the stomach. When it gets to the stomach, three strong bands of strong muscle churn and squeeze to break the food into smaller pieces. The acid produced in the stomach dissolves the food. After the small pieces of food leave the stomach, it travels through the small and large intestines, where the small particles of food pass through linings of the intestines and into blood. Powerful chemicals called enzymes digest the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats that make up your diet.

Tracking Digestion  

Do you usually chew your food thoroughly? Your mouth and teeth are specially designed to crunch, munch, and chop that food that you try to fit in your mouth all at once. When you finally get all that food in your mouth and swallowed it, ever wonder what stages it goes through? Well I'm gonna tell you.  After you swallow the food, it passes through a tube about 10 inches tall. The tube is called the esophagus.  A series of wave like muscle contractions automatically move the food along the digestive tract.  This is called peristalsis. Your stomach secretes juices that continue to break the pieces food. Contractions in the stomach push the food into the upper intestine, or small intestine.  When you get to be an adult, your stomach will hold about half a gallon of food!!