Nerves in your nose, mouth, eyes, and throat let you experience the other qualities of food, like the heat of spicy foods and the coolness of peppermint. Your teeth are also part of the digestive process. Teeth break down food for swallowing and further digestion. The incisors, located in the middle front of the lower and upper jaws, cut and gnaw pieces of food. The molars, in the back of the mouth, grind and chew.
To keep your teeth at their healthiest, follow these simple preventive measures:. Eat a healthy diet rich in protein, fruits and vegetables, calcium, and whole grains.
Brush your teeth and tongue twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, and floss once a day. After you chew and swallow your food, it enters your esophagus. This tube connects your throat to your stomach.
A series of muscular contractions, known as peristalsis, pushes your food downward and into your stomach. There, it mixes with more digestive enzymes to continue the breakdown process. Skip to main content. Find Doctors Services Locations. Medical Professionals. The semi-solid waste is moved through the colon by peristaltic movements of the muscle and is stored in the rectum. As the rectum expands in response to storage of fecal matter, it triggers the neural signals required to set up the urge to eliminate.
The solid waste is eliminated through the anus using peristaltic movements of the rectum. Intestinal flora : Escherichia coli is one of the many species of bacteria present in the human gut. Diarrhea and constipation are some of the most common health concerns that affect digestion. Constipation is a condition where the feces are hardened because of excess water removal in the colon.
In contrast, if not enough water is removed from the feces, it results in diarrhea. Many bacteria, including the ones that cause cholera, affect the proteins involved in water reabsorption in the colon and result in excessive diarrhea. Emesis, or vomiting, is elimination of food by forceful expulsion through the mouth.
It is often in response to an irritant that affects the digestive tract, including, but not limited to, viruses, bacteria, emotions, trauma, and food poisoning. This forceful expulsion of the food is due to the strong contractions produced by the stomach muscles.
The process of emesis is regulated by the medulla. Privacy Policy. Skip to main content. Animal Nutrition and the Digestive System. Search for:. Digestive System Processes. Ingestion The first step to obtaining nutrition is ingestion, a process where food is taken in through the mouth and broken down by teeth and saliva. Learning Objectives Describe the process of ingestion and its role in the digestive system.
Key Takeaways Key Points Food is ingested through the mouth and broken down through mastication chewing. Food must be chewed in order to be swallowed and broken down by digestive enzymes. While food is being chewed, saliva chemically processes the food to aid in swallowing. Medications and harmful or inedible substances may be ingested as well. Pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites, may be transmitted via ingestion, causing diseases like hepatitis A, polio, and cholera.
Key Terms ingestion : consuming something orally, whether it be food, drink, medicine, or other substance; the first step of digestion bolus : a round mass of something, especially of chewed food in the mouth or alimentary canal mastication : the process of chewing. Digestion and Absorption In order for nutrients carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins to be absorbed for energy, food must undergo chemical and mechanical digestion. Learning Objectives Explain the processes of digestion and absorption.
Key Takeaways Key Points In the mouth, carbohydrates are broken down by amylase into maltose a disaccharide and then move down the esophagus, which produces mucus for lubrication, but no digestive enzymes. In the duodenum, disaccharides are broken down into monosaccharides by enzymes called maltases, sucrases, and lactases; the monosaccharides produced are then absorbed into the bloodstream and transported to cells to be used in metabolic pathways to harness energy.
In the stomach, proteins are broken down into peptides, which are then broken down into single amino acids that are absorbed in the bloodstream though the small intestine.
Lipids are digested mainly in the small intestine by bile salts through the process of emulsification, which allows lipases to divide lipids into fatty acids and monoglycerides.
Monoglycerides and fatty acids enter absorptive cells in the small intestine through micelles; they leave micelles and recombine into chylomicrons, which then enter the bloodstream. Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed in the same manner as lipids; water-soluble vitamins can be directly absorbed into the bloodstream from the intestine. Key Terms chemical digestion : The process of enzymes breaking down food into small molecules the body can use.
Elimination Undigested food enters the colon where water is reabsorbed into the body and excess waste is eliminated from the anus. Learning Objectives Describe the process of elimination and problems that can occur. Key Takeaways Key Points Water is reabsorbed in the colon after undigested food enters it from the small intestine.
Waste is moved through the colon by peristaltic movements of the muscle and is stored in the rectum. The rectum expands in response to the storage of fecal matter; neural signals are triggered, and the waste is eliminated from the anus by peristaltic movements of the rectum. Diarrhea results when large amounts of water are not removed from the feces. Emesis, or vomiting, is elimination of food by forceful expulsion through the mouth caused by the strong contractions produced by the stomach muscles.
Key Terms emesis : the act or process of vomiting intestinal flora : the bacterial colonies that normally live in the digestive tract of animals constipation : condition where the feces are hardened because of excess water removal in the colon.
When eating, be sure to chew your food thoroughly to get the full benefit out of it. By focusing on chewing many times, you will eat slower. This can improve your digestion, help you eat less, and enhance your overall eating experience. Eating more slowly can help you feel full and lose weight, while enjoying your meals more.
It also has several other benefits. Eating fast is a habit that can cause a lot of health issues, especially weight gain. Simply slowing down when eating could help you lose weight. People have been chewing gum in various forms for thousands of years. This article explores the health benefits and risks of chewing gum.
Some foods appear intact and unchanged in stool. Some claim that drinking liquids with meals can cause digestive problems and lead to health issues. This article reviews the evidence. For many people, one of the best parts about traveling is getting to explore the local cuisines. This article looks at 10 of the healthiest cuisines…. This is a detailed article about sugar alcohols and their health effects.
They have several health benefits but can also cause digestive problems. Phenylalanine is an amino acid that your body uses to make important molecules. This article reviews phenylalanine benefits, side effects, and sources. Getting your meals delivered can save major time on meal prep.
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