The Structure and Function of the Digestive System

The Structure and Function of the Digestive System

The food you eat takes an incredible journey through your body -- from top (your mouth) to bottom (your anus). Along the way the beneficial parts of your food are absorbed, giving you energy and nutrients. Here’s a step-by-step account of the digestive system’s workings.

What organs make up the digestive system?

The main organs that make up the digestive system (in order of their function) are the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus. Helping them along the way are the pancreas, gall bladder and liver.

Here’s how these organs work together in your digestive system.

Mouth

The mouth is the beginning of the digestive tract. In fact, digestion starts before you even take a bite. Your salivary glands get active as you see and smell that pasta dish or warm bread. After you start eating, you chew your food into pieces that are more easily digested. Your saliva mixes with the food to begin to break it down into a form your body can absorb and use. When you swallow, your tongue passes the food into your throat and into your esophagus.

Esophagus

Located in your throat near your trachea (windpipe), the esophagus receives food from your mouth when you swallow. The epiglottis is a small flap that folds over your windpipe as you swallow to prevent you from choking (when food goes into your windpipe). A series of muscular contractions within the esophagus called peristalsis delivers food to your stomach.

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