Foodand

digestion

FOOD

Food provides us with the necessary nutrients to grow and energy to study, walk...

We can divide the food into different groups:

- Group 1:

- Group 2:

Milk and its derivatives such as cheese, yoghurt… The food in group 1 is good for our bones and muscles.

Meat, fish, eggs and vegetables. We need to eat food from group 2 to grow up strong and healthy.

- Group 3: Rice, pasta, bread, cakes and sugar. This kind of food provides us with the energy we need.

- Group 4: Fruit and vegetables. We need to eat food from group 4 because it has lots of vitamins.

Food

The digestive system is responsible for digesting the food.

The digestive system includes the:

- Mouth:

- Oesophagus:

This helps crush and break food up.

This tube measures about 25 centimetres. It takes food from the mouth to the stomach and can contract or expand.

- Stomach:

- Intestine:

It is like a bag. It has many muscles and mixes the food into a liquid.

It measures approximately 8 and a half metres. It is made up of the:

- Small intestine: Which measures about 7 metres.

- Large intestine: Which measures 1.5 metres. It ends at the anus.

Mouth

Oesophagus

Small Intestine

Stomach

Large Intestine

Anus

Digestive System

Digestion breaks elements up into simpler substances, so that our body can use them.

Food

How does digestion work?

- Mouth:

- Oesophagus:

The teeth cut and crush the food. With the help of the tongue the food is mixed with the saliva.

Food travels to the stomach through this tube.

- Stomach:

- Small intestine:

Food mixes with gastric juices. The gastric juices break the food up into simpler substances, forming a liquid.

In the small intestine, nutrients from the liquid pass into the blood.

- Large Intestine: The parts of the food we cannot use are changed into faeces and leave the body through the anus.

What happens after the digestion?