What are the 2 main digestive system functions?

The function of the digestive system is digestion and absorption. The digestive system breaks down food into nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. They can then be absorbed into the bloodstream so that the body can use them for energy, growth, and repair. Unused materials are discarded in the form of faeces (excrement).

The digestive system is made up of a series of organs that allow the body to obtain the nutrients and energy it needs from the food we eat. As food travels through the digestive system, it is broken down, sorted and reprocessed before it circulates through the body to nourish and replace cells and supply energy to our muscles. The digestive system prepares nutrients for use by the body's cells through six activities or functions. The first activity of the digestive system is to ingest food through the mouth.

This process, called ingestion, has to take place before anything else can happen. After ingestion and chewing, food particles pass from the mouth to the pharynx and then to the esophagus. This movement is swallowing or swallowing. Mixing movements occur in the stomach as a result of smooth muscle contraction.

These repetitive contractions usually occur in small segments of the digestive tract and mix food particles with enzymes and other liquids. The movements that push food particles through the digestive tract are called peristalsis. These are rhythmic waves of contractions that move food particles through the various regions where mechanical and chemical digestion takes place. The digestive system is made up of the digestive tract and other organs that help the body break down and absorb food.

The digestive system includes the digestive tract and its accessory organs, which process food into molecules that can be absorbed and used by the body's cells. Among other functions, the pancreas helps digestion by producing digestive enzymes and secreting them into the duodenum (the first segment of the small intestine). You can think of the digestive tract as a long muscular tube with digestive organs attached along the way. The digestive system is made up of the digestive tract and other accessory organs involved in digestion, such as the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.