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How does the food change in consistency and form?
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As the digestive system breaks down food our bodies can absorb, it releases gastric juices and enzymes. The breaking down of food starts in the mouth as it is chewed and saliva is produced, mastication happens and turns it to bolus. As it goes down and reaches the stomach, it comes in contact with acid and powerful enzymes that continue the process of breaking down the food and changing it to a consistency of liquid or paste. Next, the small intestine turns semi-solid food into fluid to absorb nutrients, as the pancreas and liver help by sending digestive juices to your small intestine and the gallbladder contributes bile.
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How could the body absorb the nutrients from the foods we eat?
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Most of the absorption of digested food molecules, water, and minerals happens in the small intestine. Nutrients are absorbed from the ileum, which is lined with millions of finger-like projections called villi. Each villus is connected to a mesh of capillaries, where specialized cells help absorbed materials cross the intestinal lining into the bloodstream.