Essay On Digestive System

The digestive system is a combination of organs which have been arranged together to help carry out its particular function of turning food into the energy which is necessary to survive and packaging the excess residue for waste disposal. Digestion involves the breakdown of food into smaller components.
The process of digestion has many stages with the first starting in the oral cavity. Within the system, food passes through a tube called the alimentary canal, more commonly known as the gastrointestinal tract. The tract is made up of the oral cavity, pharynx, oesophagus, stomach, small intestines, and large intestines. To provide energy and nutrients to the body, major functions take place in the digestive system which include; ingestion, secretion, mixing and movement, digestion, absorption and excretion.
The mouth is the first stage of the gastrointestinal tract and is arranged with numerous structures that aid in the digestion of food. These include the tongue, teeth, and salivary glands and begin the first processes of digestion.
The teeth are living structures and contain blood vessels and nerves. They are the process by which we chew food in preparation for swallowing. By chewing you allow enzymes and lubricants to release into the
Gastric juice in the stomach begins protein digestion with peristalsis continuing to mix the food, which eventually forms a fluid called chyme that travels to the small intestine. The chyme is absorbed into the intestine with some of the nutrients being absorbed into the bloodstream with water and minerals being reabsorbed into the blood in the colon, while the waste is