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Transcript:

The human digestive system

Humans need to eat food to keep on living because they obtain energy from it. We use our digestive system to transport energy to the different parts of the body which need it. Various organs make up the digestive system and its job is to break the food down, whilst also getting rid of the body’s waste! There are five main parts to the digestive system, but how do they work?

The digestive system starts at the mouth. When you put food into your mouth, your tongue, mouth and teeth work together to cut, mash and soften it so that it can be swallowed. Your mouth contains different types of teeth to complete different functions. Incisors help you to bite off and chew pieces of food, canines are used for tearing and ripping food and molars crush and grind the food. Enzymes in the saliva also support with the process of breaking the food down to support with swallowing.

After the food has been chewed into smaller chunks, it can be swallowed. A small lump of food – called a bolus – travels down a pipe in your neck called the oesophagus. This connects your mouth to your stomach. Muscles in the oesophagus help to squeeze the food downwards. Remember that the oesophagus is not the same as your windpipe (trachea)! The first is for food and water, but the other carries air to your lungs.

The food travels to the stomach. Inside the stomach, there are powerful acids and enzymes. Their job is to break down (or digest) our food. The acid kills the harmful microorganisms that might be present in our food. It creates a substance which is similar in consistency to porridge. It is called ‘chyme’.

Food continues to be digested as moves through to the small intestine. Whilst the food is in this organ, the nutrients, or the ‘good’ parts of the food, are absorbed into the bloodstream. From here, the useful substances are transported to different places in your body to keep you healthy.

The final stage of the digestive system is the large intestine. This is where the unwanted material ends up! Whilst here, water is removed in the large intestine and is moved back into the blood. The rest of the waste product which still remains is expelled from the body as faeces (or poo).

Did you know that without digestion, our body would not be able to absorb the food and use the energy from it? So next time you eat something, spare a thought for your organs and how hard they are working!