1. How the food changes consistency and form?
The food undergoes changes in form and consistency through the process of digestion. This particular process occurs within the Gastrointestinal tract, starting in the mouth and ending in the small intestine.
Mouth
Through the process of chewing, food is broken down and converted into smaller pieces. Saliva is then incorporated to break down starches and make the food softer for ease of passage.
Esophagus
The broken-down food, now called bolus travels down the esophagus to reach the stomach for further processing.
Stomach
The upper muscle of the stomach relaxes for the food to enter, while the lower muscle mixes the food with stomach acid to break down the proteins.
Small intestine
Through the process of peristalsis, the small intestine mixes up the food with small intestine digestive juices for the breaking down of starches, protein, and carbohydrates in the food.
Pancreas and Liver
These organs assist the process of digestion as the pancreas releases pancreatic juice that breaks down starches, fats, and protein while the liver produces bile acids that can break down fats.
Large intestine
After the course of digestion, the small intestine absorbs the nutrients and passes them into the bloodstream. The waste products move down to the large intestine for water absorption. The processed concoction would then be drained of water and other remaining nutrients, turning it into human fecal matter. Feces would then be stored and pushed out of the body by the rectum during a bowel movement.
2. How the body was able to absorb the nutrients from the foods we eat?
After breaking down and processing the food, the walls of the small intestine absorb the nutrients into the bloodstream. The nutrients distributed to the bloodstream would then be carried by the blood to different parts of the body.