Skip to main content

The beginning of digestion

– The digestive process begins when food enters the mouth (or ingestion) and a soft mass called the food bolus is formed.
– This bolus is pushed by the pharynx towards the esophagus and then the stomach, where it is transformed into a mass dubbed chyme.

– Where does digestion start?
– What is the mass formed in the stomach called?

The function of the intestines

– Inside the small intestine, the chyle passes through the duodenum, then the jejunum and finally it reaches the ileum, where the intestinal villi absorb the nutrients and transport them to the blood.
– The remains of chyle, which are waste and water, pass on to the large intestine and compressed, forming feces.

– What is the main function of the small intestine?
– What is formed in the large intestine?

Nutrition and vitamins

– Nutrients are substances the body needs to function properly.
– Not all vitamins are created by the body, so they have to be consumed through foods, mainly fruits and vegetables.

– Why does the body need nutrients?
– Which are the foods that contribute the most vitamins?
– How many groups are vitamins split into?