The digestive process plays an extremely important role, helping supply nutrients to the body. This process is not simply the normal activity of the digestive tract, liver or bile, but also requires the coordination of the entire body.
Digestion is the breakdown of large insoluble food molecules into small water-soluble food molecules that can be absorbed into the plasma. After food passes through the mouth, esophagus, and stomach, it goes to the small intestine. Food digestion will take place in the small intestine, absorbing most nutrients from food. Finally, the waste is sent down to the large intestine and out of the body.
Why is the digestive system important?
The digestive system is made up of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. The digestive tract is a hollow organ connected in a long tube that goes on from the mouth to the anus. These organs include: mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and anus. Live, pancreas and gallbladder are special organs of the digestive system.
The digestive system is very important because our bodies need nutrients from food and drink to function and be healthier. Proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, water, vitamins and minerals are nutrients. The digestive system breaks these nutrients into small parts for the body to absorb and use for energy, grow and regenerate cells.
Digestion process
The processes of digestion include six activities: ingestion, mixing and propulsion, mechanical or physical digestion, chemical digestion, absorption, and defecation. Nutrient groups such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins and minerals will be broken down at different stages in the digestive process, while fiber is kept.
ngestion is the stage when food is brought into the mouth and begins to enter the digestive tract. In the cavity of the mouth, teeth and tongue are responsible for chewing and tearing food into small pieces and mixing food with saliva. Enzymes in saliva break down carbohydrates and a small portion of enzymes break down lipids to help the digestive process take place easily.
After food is broken down in the oral cavity, the tongue and esophageal muscles push the food particles into the esophagus. This is the act of swallowing food. Food is pushed through the entire digestive system starting with swallowing movements and peristalsis that both push food away and mix food with digestive juices. These motility movements are even so strong that the food and drinks you eat can still go down to your stomach, even when you are in a handstand position.
The digestive process includes both physical and chemical digestion. Physical digestion is the process in which food is not changed but is only broken into pieces. You might think physical digestion only stops in the oral cavity, but even when food is in the stomach, this activity still takes place. That is the kneading of food in the stomach to break the food into smaller pieces, increasing the contact surface area so that gastric juice can break down food more effectively. The food then moves to the small intestine, continues to be broken into smaller pieces and mixed.
Chemical digestion also begins in the mouth and ends in the small intestine. Digestive juices break down complex food molecules into smaller molecules. Digestive fluid can vary in composition at each stage in the digestive tract, usually including water, enzymes, acids and salts.
After food is broken down, nutrients in small molecule form will be absorbed into the blood. This process occurs mainly in the small intestine, a little in the large intestine. Finally, the remains of unabsorbed food will be eliminated from the body through the anus.
How does food digestion take place in each organ?
Each part of the digestive system is responsible for moving food and liquid through the digestive tract, breaking food and liquid into smaller parts. When food is broken down, the body can absorb and move these nutrients to where they are needed.
Mouth: The digestive process starts when you put food in your mouth. Teeth and jawbone will chew to break down food. Salivary glands are also secreted during this process to mix food together, starting the process of breaking down carbohydrates into oligosaccharides.
Esophagus: Is a muscular tube extending from the pharynx to the stomach. The esophagus moves food down to the stomach through contractions, also known as peristalsis. At the midpoint between the esophagus and the stomach, there is the lower esophageal sphincter to keep food in the stomach from refluxing into the esophagus.
Stomach: Where there are healthy muscle bundles to perform the function of mixing food with acids and enzymes, helping to hydrolyze complex proteins. Khi di chuyển sang ruột non, tất cả các loại thức ăn đã được biến thành chất lỏng hoặc bột nhão. When moving to the small intestine, all foods are turned into liquid or paste.
Small intestine: This is where most of the absorption of nutrients from food takes place. Here food continues to be broken down into molecules that can be absorbed into the blood. Absorption of nutrients is accomplished by small, finger-like cylinders called villi.
Colon: Helps absorb remaining water and nutrients. Normally, it takes up to 36 hours for stool to pass through the colon. The main components of feces are mainly food debris and bacteria. These bacteria perform a number of useful functions, such as synthesizing various vitamins, processing waste and food deposits, and protecting the body against harmful bacteria.
Pancreas: Secretes some enzymes into the small intestine to break down proteins, fats and carbohydrates in food.
Liver: Secretes bile and filters blood containing nutrients just absorbed from the small intestine.
Gallbladder: Is the place where bile is stored, shaped like a pear. Bile is created in the liver and then if it needs to be stored, it is moved to the gallbladder through the bile duct. During meals, the gallbladder contracts to push bile into the small intestine.