Digestive System of Humans

Digestive system of Humans
The digestive tract of humans starts with the mouth and ends
with the anus. It includes different structures such as the
mouth, oesophagus, pancreas, stomach, small intestine, large
intestine, liver, gall bladder, and anus.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Structure
Parts
 Pharynx
 Oesophagus
 Stomach
 Small Intestine
 Large Intestine
 Rectum
 Accessory Organs
Digestion Process
 Ingestion
 Mixing and Movement
 Secretion
 Digestion
 Absorption
 Excretion
Disorders
Functions
Notes
The Human Digestive System

The digestive system of the human body comprises a group of
organs working together to convert food into energy for the
body. Anatomically, the digestive system is made up of the
gastrointestinal tract, along with accessory organs such as the
liver, pancreas and gallbladder. The hollow organs that make
up the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) include the mouth,
stomach, oesophagus, small intestine and large intestine that
contains the rectum and anus.
Human Digestive System and Nutrition involve the intake of

food by an organism and its utilization for energy. This is a vital
process which helps living beings to obtain their energy from
various sources. The food which we eat undergoes much
processing before the nutrients present in them are utilized to
generate energy. This processing is known as digestion.
Humans and other animals have specialized organs and
systems for this process.
The digestion process involves the alimentary canal along with

various accessory organs and organ systems. In humans, the
process is quite simple due to our monogastric nature. This
means that we have a one-chambered stomach, unlike other
animals such as cows, which have four chambers.
Some parts of nervous and circulatory systems also play a

significant role in the digestion process. A combination of
nerves, bacteria, hormones, blood and other organs of the
digestive system completes the task of digestion.
Parts of the Human Digestive System
The digestive system of the human body comprises a group of
organs that work together in converting food into energy and
other basic nutrients to power the body. The food we take in is
digested and utilized by our body, and the unused parts of the
food are defecated.
The digestive system of the human body is the sum of the

gastrointestinal tract (GIT; also called alimentary canal) and
accessory organs (tongue, liver, pancreas, etc.). These two
parts together help in the digestion process.
The alimentary canal is the long tube through which the food
that we eat is passed. It begins at the mouth (buccal or oral
cavity), passes through the pharynx, oesophagus or food pipe,
stomach, small intestines, large intestines, rectum and finally
ends at the anus. The food particles gradually get digested as
they travel through various compartments of the alimentary
canal.
Accessory organs are organs which participate in the

digestion process but are not actually a part of GIT. They
stimulate the digestion by releasing certain enzymes that help
in breaking down the food.
Let us have a detailed look at the digestive system of

the human body, along with its parts and functions:
Mouth
Food starts its journey from the mouth or the oral cavity. There
are many other organs that contribute to the digestion process,
including teeth, salivary glands, and tongue. Teeth are
designed for grinding food particles into small pieces and are
moistened with saliva before the tongue pushes the food into
the pharynx.
Pharynx
A fibromuscular y-shaped tube attached to the terminal end of
the mouth. It is mainly involved in the passage of
chewed/crushed food from the mouth through the oesophagus.
It also has a major part in the respiratory system, as air travels
through the pharynx from the nasal cavity on its way to the
lungs.
Oesophagus
This is a muscular tube that connects the pharynx, which is a
part of an upper section of the gastrointestinal tract. It supplies
swallowed food along with its length.
Also Read: Food Pipe
Stomach
It serves as a muscular bag which is situated towards the left
side of the abdominal cavity, beneath the diaphragm. This vital
organ acts as a storage for the food and provides enough time
to digest meals. The stomach also produces digestive enzymes
and hydrochloric acid that maintains the process of digestion.
 Mucous: It is an aqueous secretion produced by the

mucous membranes. It functions by protecting the
stomach lining and gastric pits from the acid, which is
produced by the glands to destroy the bacteria that
entered along with the food particles.
 Digestive enzymes: They are the group of enzymes
which functions by breaking down polymeric
macromolecules like biopolymers into their smaller and
simpler substances.
 Hydrochloric acid: It is the digestive fluid formed by the
stomach during the process of digestion. It functions by
destroying harmful microorganisms present in the food
particles.
Small Intestine
The small intestine is a thin, long tube of about 10 feet long and
a part of the lower gastrointestinal tract. It is present just behind
the stomach and acquires a maximum area of the abdominal
cavity. The complete small intestine is coiled and the inner
surface consists of folds and ridges.
Large Intestine
This is a thick, long tube measuring around 5 feet in length. It is
present just beneath the stomach and wraps over the superior
and lateral edges of the small intestine. It absorbs water and
consists of bacteria (symbiotic) that support the breakdown of
wastes to fetch small nutrients.
Also Read: Large Intestine
Rectum
Waste products are passed into the end of the large intestine
called the rectum and eliminated out of the body as a solid
matter called stool. It is stored in the rectum as semi-solid
faeces which later exits from the body through the anal canal
through the process of defecation.
Accessory Organs
Pancreas
It is a large gland present just behind the stomach. It is short
with its anterior connected to the duodenum and posterior
pointing towards the left part of the abdominal cavity. The
pancreas releases digestive enzymes to complete the process
of chemical digestion.
Read More: Pancreas
Liver
The liver is a roughly triangular, reddish-brown accessory organ
of the digestive system located to the right of the stomach. It
produces bile, which helps in the digestion of fat in the small
intestine. The bile is stored and recycled in the gallbladder. It is
a small, pear-shaped organ which is located just next to the
liver.
Also Read: Cellulose in Digestion
Digestion Process
The process of digestion begins from the mouth and ends in
the small intestine – the large intestines’ main function is to
absorb the remaining water from the undigested food and
enable bacterial fermentation of materials that can no longer be
digested.
The alimentary canal or the gastrointestinal tract is a series of

hollow organs and tubes that begins from the mouth cavity and
continues into the pharynx, through the stomach, small
intestines, large intestines, and finally ending at the anus. Food
particles gradually get digested as they travel through various
compartments of the gastrointestinal tract.
The digestion process takes place in the following steps.
Ingestion
The very first step involves mastication (chewing). The salivary
glands, along with the tongue, helps to moisten and lubricate
food, before being pushed down into the food pipe.
Mixing and Movement
It involves the process of lubricating and manipulating food and
pushing it down the food through the food pipe
(using peristalsis), and into the stomach.
Secretion
The stomach, small intestine, liver, and pancreas secrete
enzymes and acids to aid the process of digestion. It functions
by breaking down food particles into simple components and
easily absorbable components.
Also Read: What is Liver
Digestion
The process of converting complex food particles into simpler
substances in the presence of enzymes and acids secreted by
different digestive organs.
Read more: What are digestive juices?
Absorption
This process begins in the small intestine where most of the
nutrients and minerals are absorbed. The excess water in the
indigestible matter is absorbed by the large intestines.
Excretion
The process of removing indigestible substances and waste by-
products from the body through the process of defecation.
In a nutshell, the digestion process consists of the six following

steps:
Ingestion ⇒Mixing and

Movement ⇒ Secretion ⇒ Digestion ⇒Absorption ⇒Excreti
on
Also Read: Gastrointestinal Tract
Disorders of the Human Digestive System

Vomiting: It is the ejection of stomach contents through the
mouth.
Diarrhoea: It is the abnormal watery bowel movement.

Prolonged diarrhoea eventually leads to dehydration.
Constipation: A condition in which the faeces are clutched

within the rectum due to an irregular bowel movement.
Indigestion: A pain or discomfort in the stomach which is

caused when food is not digested properly, resulting in the
feeling of fullness. Indigestion is mainly caused due to
inadequate enzyme secretion, food poisoning, anxiety,
overeating and eating spicy foods.
Also Read: Difference between trachea and oesophagus

Functions of the Human Digestive System
Digestion and absorption are the two main functions of the
digestive system.
Digestion is necessary for breaking down food particles into

nutrients that are used by the body as an energy source, cell
repair and growth.
Food and drink need to be converted into smaller molecules

of nutrients before it is absorbed by the blood and carried to the
cells throughout the body. The body breaks the nutrients
present in the drinks and food into carbohydrates, vitamins, fats
and proteins.
Human Digestive System Notes

 The human digestive system breaks down food to release energy
essential for the body to carry out its activities.
 The process of digestion takes place in 6 major steps.
 The food is ingested by the alimentary canal and is propelled
through the body for further processing.
 The autonomous nervous system controls the peristalsis,
contraction and relaxation of muscles within the alimentary canal
wall.
 The food is passed to the small intestine where it is digested, and
the nutrients are absorbed.
 Water, electrolytes and vitamins are absorbed by the large
intestine and the waste is defecated.
Q1
Deduce the function of the human digestive system.

The digestive system consists of the alimentary canal and the
accessory organs. Their main function is to break down the ingested
food into its components and produce vital nutrients and energy
required to sustain life.
Q2
What are accessory organs?

Accessory organs are organs which are not part of the digestive
system; however, they aid in the digestion process by performing
many secondary functions. The main accessory organs of the
digestive system are the tongue, liver, pancreas and gall bladder.
Q3
Outline the process of digestion, step by step.

The process of digestion involves the following steps, namely:
 Ingestion
 Mixing and Movement
 Secretion
 Digestion
 Absorption
 Excretion
Q4
List out the parts of the digestive system.

 Mouth & Buccal Cavity
 Pharynx
 Oesophagus
 Stomach
 Small Intestine
 Rectum
Q5
Explain the role of the tongue as an accessory organ.

The tongue is not a part of the digestive system, but it provides
support functions such as moving and manipulating the food within
the buccal cavity. Furthermore, moistening food also helps to swallow
and pass through the oesophagus without much resistance.

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Digestive system of Humans

The Human Digestive System

Human Digestive System and Nutrition involve the intake of

The digestion process involves the alimentary canal along with

Some parts of nervous and circulatory systems also play a

The digestive system of the human body is the sum of the

Accessory organs are organs which participate in the

Let us have a detailed look at the digestive system of

Also Read: Food Pipe

 Mucous: It is an aqueous secretion produced by the

Also Read: Large Intestine

Read More: Pancreas

Also Read: Cellulose in Digestion

The alimentary canal or the gastrointestinal tract is a series of

The digestion process takes place in the following steps.

Also Read: What is Liver

Read more: What are digestive juices?

In a nutshell, the digestion process consists of the six following

Ingestion ⇒Mixing and

Also Read: Gastrointestinal Tract

Disorders of the Human Digestive System

Diarrhoea: It is the abnormal watery bowel movement.

Constipation: A condition in which the faeces are clutched

Indigestion: A pain or discomfort in the stomach which is

Also Read: Difference between trachea and oesophagus

Digestion is necessary for breaking down food particles into

Food and drink need to be converted into smaller molecules

Human Digestive System Notes

Deduce the function of the human digestive system.

What are accessory organs?

Outline the process of digestion, step by step.

List out the parts of the digestive system.

Explain the role of the tongue as an accessory organ.

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