1. The Digestive System

2. What is the Function? The digestive system takes the food you eat, breaks it down, and turns it into energy you can use to fuel all of your body systems.

3. Step 1 The food enters your mouth as it is being eaten. Enzymes in the saliva begin to break down the food to be digested. Food enters the esophagus, a tube that runs from your mouth to your stomach.

4. Step 2 Stomach acid begins to break down food even more after it enters the stomach. The stomach churns, turning food into a liquid like form. Next, the food moves into the small intestine.

5. Step 3 Liquefied food moves through the small intestine. Digestive juices including bile (made in the liver) break down the proteins, fats, and carbohydrates from your food. Your body absorbs the vitamins and minerals from the food at this stage.

6. Step 4 The waste then moves into the large intestine. The large intestine absorbs water and salt. Anything in the large intestine is considered waste and will be excreted.