The digestive system includes:
- Mouth and Salivary Glands
- Esophagus
- Stomach
- Small Intestine
- Large Intestine
The first process in digestion begins with the mouth and salivary glands. Saliva, which is produced by the salivary glands mixing with food and helps to:
- Break down food
- Moisten the food to aid in swallowing
The esophagus is a muscular tube that the moistened food travels through to enter your stomach.
The stomach
- Stores the food and liquids
- Mixing the food with digestive juices that are produced by the stomach
- Empties the food into the small intestines
The small intestine is the last stop in digestion. Here the food will mix with other enzymes and then absorb the nutrients needed for your body. The large intestine removes all the water, salts from the digested food, and creates a solid form to be disposed.