All About Healthy Digestive System : How It Works

The digestive system is responsible for breaking down food, absorbing nutrients, and eliminating waste. It includes the following main components:

• Mouth: Begins the digestive process by mechanically breaking down food with chewing and mixing it with saliva, which contains enzymes to start breaking down carbohydrates.
• Esophagus: A muscular tube that transports food from the mouth to the stomach through coordinated muscle contractions known as peristalsis.
• Stomach: Secretes acid and digestive enzymes to further break down food into a semi-liquid form called chyme. The stomach’s muscles mix the food to aid digestion.
• Small Intestine: Comprising three parts (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum), it continues the digestive process with enzymes from the pancreas and bile from the liver. Most nutrient absorption occurs here.
• Liver: Produces bile, which helps digest fats, and processes nutrients absorbed from the small intestine.
  Pancreas: Produces digestive enzymes and bicarbonate to neutralize stomach acid in the small intestine. It also has endocrine functions, including insulin production.
• Gallbladder: Stores and concentrates bile, releasing it into the small intestine to aid fat digestion.
• Large Intestine: Absorbs water and electrolytes from indigestible food matter, forming and storing feces. It consists of the cecum, colon, rectum, and anal canal.
  Rectum and Anus: The rectum stores feces until they are excreted through the anus during a bowel movement.

This system works together to ensure that the body gets the nutrients it needs while expelling waste products efficiently.