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Understanding Digestion Basics

The digestive system breaks down food into nutrients that the body uses for energy, growth, and cell repair. Muscles in the esophagus move food through peristalsis down to the stomach. The small intestine absorbs 90% of nutrients and is over 20 feet long, while the large intestine is only about 5 feet. The pancreas and liver produce enzymes to help break down food, while fiber passes undigested through the system. Stomach growling is louder when empty because there is no food to muffle the sound. The digestive system is linked to more cancer cases and deaths than any other body system.

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Megan Biag
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66 views1 page

Understanding Digestion Basics

The digestive system breaks down food into nutrients that the body uses for energy, growth, and cell repair. Muscles in the esophagus move food through peristalsis down to the stomach. The small intestine absorbs 90% of nutrients and is over 20 feet long, while the large intestine is only about 5 feet. The pancreas and liver produce enzymes to help break down food, while fiber passes undigested through the system. Stomach growling is louder when empty because there is no food to muffle the sound. The digestive system is linked to more cancer cases and deaths than any other body system.

Uploaded by

Megan Biag
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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FACTS
Digestion is important for breaking down food into nutrients, which
the body uses for energy, growth, and cell repair. Food and drink
must be changed into smaller molecules of nutrients before the blood
absorbs them and carries them to cells throughout the body.

The muscles in your


esophagus act like a giant The small intestine is about 22-23
wave. That is what moves feet long while the large intestine is
food or drinks down to only about 5 feet long.
your stomach. This wave
action is called peristalsis.

The pharynx, or throat, plays a


dual role. It is a common Stomach growling is called
passageway for air entering the borborygmic and happens all the time,
respiratory system and for food but it is just louder when your stomach
and fluids entering the digestive is empty because there is no food to
system. muffle it.

Fiber is indigestible, and is


Your pancreas and your liver left over when all other
produce enzymes to help you nutrients are removed
break down food. from food.

The small intestine absorbs You can eat upside down.


90 per cent of your body's Food doesn't need gravity
nutrients. to reach your stomach.

Stomachs vary widely between


species. Ruminants such as The digestive system is
cows have a four-chambered linked to cancer in more
stomach, while seahorses and people and causes more
platypuses don’t have a mortalities than any other
stomach at all. body system.

Megan J. Biag BS Psychology 2B

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