Digestion is the process by which food is broken down into smaller units that can be absorbed and used by the body. It takes place along the gastro-intestinal tract, which begins in the mouth and proceeds through the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine before waste is excreted through the rectum. Digestion begins as food is broken down mechanically by teeth and through enzymes in saliva in the mouth, and then further broken down by gastric juices in the stomach and enzymes in the small intestine where nutrients are absorbed before passing to the large intestine.

1. DIGESTION

2. PROCESS OF DIGESTION
Digestion is the process whereby food
is broken down into smaller chemical
units that may be absorbed and used by
the body.

3. THE GASTRO – INTESTINAL TRACT
The gastro-intestinal tract, also known
as GI tract, is where the digestion of
food takes place.
It begins in the mouth, proceeds
through the oesophagus to the
stomach, then through the small and
large intestines and finally to the
rectum.

4. HOW DOES THIS WORK?
Digestion Animation

6. 1. MOUTH
Digestion begins in
the mouth. The teeth
work with the
enzymes in the saliva
to help and break
down the food into
small chunks.

7. 2. OESOPHAGUS
Food passes down
the Oesophagus
and into the
stomach, where it
is broken down
further.

8. 3. STOMACH
Gastric Juices in the
stomach help to
Break down food
further, before
It passes into the small
Intestine.

9. 4. SMALL INTESTINE
Final digestion and
absorption of
nutrients takes place
in the small intestine.
Villi are small finger-
like projections in the
small intestine that
absorb nutrients from
food.

11. 5. LARGE INTESTINE
Any solid left over food
waste is stored in the
Large Intestine before
excretion.