Understanding Your Digestive System

Front

What is digestion?

Back

Digestion is the process that allows your body to get nutrients and energy from the food you eat.

Front

What role does saliva play in digestion?

Back

Saliva helps break down chemicals in food, making it mushy and easy to swallow.

Front

What is the esophagus?

Back

The esophagus is a stretchy pipe that moves food from the back of your throat to your stomach.

Front

What are the three main jobs of the stomach?

Back

The stomach stores food, breaks it down into a liquidy mixture, and slowly empties it into the small intestine.

Front

What does the small intestine do?

Back

The small intestine breaks down food further so the body can absorb vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

Front

How do the pancreas, liver, and gallbladder help digestion?

Back

They send juices to the small intestine to help digest food and absorb nutrients.

Front

What is the role of the liver in digestion?

Back

The liver processes nutrient-rich blood, filters out harmful substances, and stores certain vitamins and sugars.

Front

What does the large intestine do?

Back

The large intestine absorbs water and minerals from waste, turning it into solid poop.

Front

What is the appendix?

Back

The appendix is a tiny tube off the large intestine that doesn't seem to do anything but can get infected.

Front

What happens in the colon?

Back

The colon absorbs the last of the water and minerals from waste before it becomes solid.