How does the digestive system work?

How does my digestive system work? Each part of your digestive system helps to move food and liquid through your GI tract, break food and liquid into smaller parts, or both. Once foods are broken into small enough parts, your body can absorb and move the nutrients to where they are needed. read more

The digestive system is made up of the gastrointestinal tract—also called the GI tract or digestive tract—and the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. The GI tract is a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus. read more

Peristalsis (contractions) is also at work in this organ, moving food through and mixing it up with digestive secretions. The duodenum is largely responsible for continuing the process of breaking down food, with the jejunum and ileum being mainly responsible for the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream. read more

The human digestive system breaks down the food you consume, using as much of the nutrients as possible to fuel the body. After the energy is extracted from food through digestion and metabolism, the remainder is excreted, or removed. The digestive process. Imagine biting into a big, juicy cheeseburger. read more