* Food enters your mouth, where it is chewed and mixed with saliva. Saliva contains enzymes that begin to break down carbohydrates.

2. Esophagus

* The chewed food forms a ball called a bolus.

* The bolus travels down the esophagus, a muscular tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.

* Peristalsis, a series of involuntary muscle contractions, propels the bolus down the esophagus.

3. Stomach

* The bolus enters the stomach.

* The stomach secretes gastric juices, which contain hydrochloric acid and enzymes such as pepsin that further break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

* The stomach churns and mixes the food with gastric juices to form a semi-liquid substance called chyme.

4. Small intestine

* The chyme moves into the small intestine.

* The small intestine is much longer than the stomach and is where most of the digestion and absorption of nutrients occur.

* The small intestine secretes enzymes that break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into simple sugars, amino acids, and fatty acids.

* These nutrients are then absorbed into the bloodstream through the walls of the small intestine.

5. Large intestine (colon)

* The undigested material moves into the large intestine.

* The large intestine absorbs water and some electrolytes from the material.

* The material becomes increasingly solid and forms feces.

* The feces are stored in the rectum until they are excreted from the body through the anus.