Digestion

We all need food and water for survival, which travels directly to our stomach. But are you aware how the content we consume gets converted to energy? The digestive system is responsible for breaking down food through a process termed as digestion. It involves several organs which together fulfil the procedure. Let us try to understand digestion and its various stages in an organized manner.

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Parts of the Digestive System

The primary area is the GI tract (gastrointestinal tract) or digestive tract. It comprises of the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. This can be termed as a sequence of hollow organs which are connected in a long, winding tube ranging from the mouth to the anus. It is vital to know that, the hollow organs which form the GI tract include the mouth, stomach, oesophagus, large intestine, small intestine, and anus. Furthermore, the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas are the solid organs of the human digestive system.

Moreover, the small intestine consists of three parts; namely, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. On the other hand, the large intestine comprises of the appendix, colon, cecum, and rectum. It can be called as a finger-shaped pouch which is attached to the cecum. One must note that bacteria present in the GI tract, termed as microbiome or gut flora, actively helps in digestion.

Significance of Digestion

Your body requires nutrients acquired from food and liquid drinks in order to function properly and act healthy. The need for proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals are quite essential. It is your digestive system which breaks the nutrients into finer particles so that your body can absorb and receive sufficient energy.

• Proteins break down to form amino acids
• Carbohydrates into simple sugars
• Fats break down into glycerol and fatty acids

Stages of Digested Food

It is the small intestine which absorbs almost all the nutrients from your food. Further, the circulatory system transports them to other parts of your body for storage and use. Also, it is the action of the special cells that help absorb the nutrients across the intestinal lining.

Human blood transfers simple sugars, glycerol, amino acids and some vitamins, together with salts directly to the liver. The function of the liver is to store, process, and transport nutrients to different parts of the human body.

The presence of the lymph system is quite significant. It carries white blood cells as well as lymph all throughout the human body to tackle infection and absorb vitamins and fatty acids. It is your body which uses amino acids, sugars, fatty acids, as well as glycerol to form substances that are needed for energy, cell repair, and growth.

Question for You

Q1: How does human body regulate the digestive process?

Answer. Human hormones and nerves function together to regulate the digestive process. It should be known that signals flow inside your GI tract which directly travels to the brain. There are nerves which connect to the central nervous system and links to the digestive system for controlling several digestive functions. Example: when you smell food, the brain delivers a signal which causes the human salivary glands to make the mouth watery.