Digestion is the process by which the larger molecules of food are broken down by action into simple components that can be absorbed and assimilated by the body.

In humans, digestion takes place in the digestive tract that begins and the mouth and ends and the anus. The digestive system consists of the organs that function in the breakdown of the complex molecules present in the food, into smaller chemical compounds that can be readily absorbed into the bloodstream. In addition to the organs of the digestive system, there are many other organs that assist in the process of digestion. The process of digestion is not simple and involves many steps. Let's learn more about the digestive system through a series of facts that illustrate the amazing functioning of the human body. The organs of the digestive system are hollow, and the inner walls are lined and mucous membrane (mucosa). The mucous membrane that lines the mouth, stomach and small intestine, consists of glands that secrete digestive to aid in digestion. The organs also contain a smooth muscle layer that assists in breaking down the food particles. This layer contracts and propels the food particles downwards along the digestive tract by a process called peristalsis. In addition to the hollow organs of the digestive tract, the digestive system consists of two solid organs, viz., the liver and the pancreas. 

These organs are responsible for secreting Soma Biotics digestive juices (e.g., bile) that reach the intestine via small tubes, referred to as ducts. The esophagus is the passage between the pharynx and the stomach. In an adult human, it is 10 to 14 inches in length and about 1 inch in diameter. It is the gallbladder that stores the digestive juices secreted by the liver, until they are required by the small and large intestines. If the gallbladder is removed in case of a medical illness, an individual can continue to live a normal life, provided he/she takes certain precautions regarding his/her diet. In the process of digestion, food entering the mouth is masticated by the teeth and partly broken down by the saliva. Then, the partly digested food passes through the esophagus and travels down to the stomach, where it is acted upon by acidic secretions. The stomach is a muscular sac-like organ which serves as the principal organ of the digestive system. The walls of the stomach are lined and three layers of muscles. The digestive juices produced by the stomach are acidic in nature. When the food chewed in the mouth reaches the stomach, the exposure to the acidic environment of the stomach, reduces the chewed food to pulp. The stomach performs three major functions - storing the swallowed food, mixing the food and the digestive juices, and emptying the digested food into the small intestine. 

The function of the pancreas is to secrete the hormone insulin, along and that aid in the process of digestion. The digestive juices secreted by the pancreas contain for catalyzing proteins, fats and carbohydrates; whereas the liver produces bile juice for digesting fats. The walls of the small intestine absorb the useful nutrients, which are transported to other parts of the body via the bloodstream. Inner walls of the small intestine are covered and microscopic finger-like structures known as villa, which protrude into the intestinal cavity and increase the effective surface area of the small intestines by more than 500 times. In contrast to the highly acidic environment of the stomach, the environment of the small intestines is alkaline. The appendix is a tube-like structure that extends outwards from the wall of the small intestine, and is located at the junction of the small intestine and the large intestine. It is a vestigial organ, which means that it does not perform any function. Vestigial organs are believed to have lost their original function(s) through the process of evolution. From the small intestines, the food residues move to the large intestines and are passed out as feces. The rectum extracts moisture from the food residues, and the feces are expelled through the anus. 

The large intestine consists of three parts: mecum, colon, and rectum. Some Amazing Facts... The stomach of an adult human being can hold up to 1.5 liters of water! You can have more than 400 types of bacteria in your large intestine! The liver is the second largest organ in our body, the skin being the largest organ. Our liver performs more than 500 different functions! The volume of hydrochloric acid produced by the stomach per day can reach up to 2 liters! The salivary glands secrete about 1-3 pints of saliva a day. During the process of digestion, food stays in the stomach for 2-3 hours. One of the lesser known functions performed by the mouth is to increase or decrease the temperature of the food that we intake, in order to make it equal to the body temperature. We are born and more than 10,000 taste buds! These are located on the tongue, the throat, and on the roof of the mouth. The cells that make up the lining of the stomach get replaced continuously, and a completely new lining is formed every 5-10 days! The highly coiled small intestines measure 20 feet in length. They also absorb 90% of the food nutrients. Every year, the average human being consumes over 500kg of food! By the time we are 70 years old, the quantity of produced in our body becomes half the amount produced when we are in our twenties! The liver is the only organ in the human body that has the ability to regenerate itself completely! It takes around 6 hours for the average human to digest a meal that is high in fat content. 

A meal rich in carbohydrates, on the other hand, takes around 2 hours to digest. Well, these were just a few important facts about the human digestive system. It is to be noted that the circulatory system and the nervous system, also play a major role in the functioning of the digestive system. Digestion is the catabolic process of breaking down the complex food materials into simpler forms or nutrients that can be easily absorbed into the bloodstream. The circulatory system carries the nutrients to the various cells of the body, to nourish and provide them and the source of energy. For a person to stay healthy and fit, proper functioning of the digestive system is necessary. Food digestion is an important metabolic process for survival. The food that we consume is not directly used by the body cells; rather it is converted into simpler usable forms through digestion, which is then distributed to the body parts. Hence, digestion is responsible for supplying energy to all the body cells and tissues. Since digestion of food takes place via the digestive system, maintaining good digestive health is always recommended for the normal functioning of the body. This system comprises the digestive tract (starting from the mouth and ending at the anus) and several other organs that help in the digestion process. 

The organs of the digestive tract are the mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestine (small and large), and anus. During the process of digestion, the mucosa lining of the mouth, stomach, and small intestine secretes that aid in the digestion of food. The smooth muscle lining of the digestive tract also helps in the mechanical breakdown of the food. The organs of the digestive system, liver, and pancreas produce digestive juices or that help in breaking down the complex food substances (e.g. fats and lipids) into simpler forms. Overall, this system works in coordination and the circulatory system and nervous system, for digestion and supplying energy to the body parts. Given below is the process of how the digestive system works. When you pick up your favorite dish to eat, you may feel your mouth begin to water. This happens when the nose catches the scent of the food and signals the brain. The brain in turn signals the nerves of the salivary gland, and these glands then begin to secrete juices to moisten the food. There is an in the saliva called 'salivary amylase', which breaks down the carbohydrates in the food. All this while, the food is chewed into tiny pieces in the mouth, and is simultaneously mixed and saliva to make it soft and easy to swallow. This soft mass of food is called bolus. This bolus enters the throat, which is also called the pharynx. From here, it further travels to the esophagus.