Your digestive system is uniquely constructed to perform its specialized function of turning food into the energy you need to survive and packaging the residue for waste disposal. To help you understand how the many parts of the digestive system work together, here is an overview of the structure and function of this complex system. The mouth is the beginning of the digestive tract; and, in fact, digestion starts here when taking the first bite of food. Chewing breaks the food into pieces that are more easily digested, while saliva mixes with food to begin the process of breaking it down into a form your body can absorb and use.
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Large intestine , posterior section of the intestine , consisting typically of four regions: the cecum , colon , rectum , and anus. The term colon is sometimes used to refer to the entire large intestine. The large intestine is wider and shorter than the small intestine approximately 1. In the proximal, or upper, half of the large intestine, enzymes from the small intestine complete the digestive process , and bacteria produce B vitamins B 12 , thiamin , and riboflavin as well as vitamin K.
Jump to content. Your digestive system is made up of a series of organs that allows your body to get the nutrients and energy it needs from the food we eat. As food travels through the digestive system it is broken down, sorted, and reprocessed before being circulated around the body to nourish and replace cells and supply energy to our muscles. Digestion starts in the mouth where chewing and saliva breaks down food so it is more easily processed by your body. Esophagus: The esophagus is a muscular tube that connects the pharynx throat to the stomach.