The human digestive system

The human digestive system or gastrointestinal system is complex. The digestive tract (also referred to as alimentary canal) consists of organs that take in food, processes it (digests) to get the required nutrients for the body and expels the remaining waste material.

The major functions of digestive system are:

We eat different kinds of foods, such as grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, juices etc. everyday. Our body can not use them as nourishment in the form we eat, it can not be absorbed in the blood.

The foods have to be changed into nutrients that can be absorbed in our blood. After digestion, these nutrients are sent to different parts of the body.

Digestion of different foods is the process in which the food is mixed with the digestive juices and food is changed in the way the body can absorb it to get energy.

The digestive system starts at the mouth and ends at the anus. The digestive disorder can affect any of the digestive organs. A person may experience digestive system diseases if any function of the system has problem. The overall digestive health of a person depends on how the digestive system works.