The digestive system is a major component of our body, without it we wouldn't be able to receive the essential nutrients to live our daily lives. The digestive system consists of a number of organs, required for it to work correctly.
Mouth
The beginning of the digestive system starts at the mouth. The process of digestion actually occurs before you consume food. When you see, smell, taste or think about food your body prepares for the food it expects to arrive. This starts in your mouth where your senses trigger the glands that produce saliva (salivary glands), producing amylase, which helps your body digest carbohydrates. Once you put food in your mouth you add saliva to the food by chewing. Chewing uses the action of your teeth to break
…show more content…
It is actually 6.4 metres long! The job of the small intestine is to absorb nutrients, water and electrolytes. The small intestine consists of three main parts which all play a part in performing these tasks. The Duodenum is the first part. The duodenum is the shortest part of the small intestine. It's job is to receive the half digested food and neutralise it. The next part of the small intestine is the Jejunum. The Jejunum is the middle part of the small intestine and it is here that the digestion process is completed. The last part is the Ileum. Its function is to absorb Vitamin B12 and absorbs any nutrients that weren't yet absorbed by the Jejunum.
Large Intestine
After passing through the small intestine the food now reaches the large intestine. The large intestine is divided into three parts: the ascending colon, the transverse colon and the descending colon. These sections together complete the process of digestion. The large intestine is a tube structure which is about five feet long. The function of the large intestine is to absorb vitamins (B Vitamins and Vitamin K) into your body, as well as producing stools which are stored in the descending colon (rectum).
Extra Organs
As well as the five main organs mentioned there are also three more organs that are essential in the digestive system, but aren't apart of the main digestive tract. The accessory organs of the digestive system are the liver, the pancreas and