What is the path of digestion?
1. The mouth- Digestion begins when food enters the mouth. Chewing begins breaking down the food. Saliva begins breaking down the carbohydrates. Tip: Some vitamins such as vitamin B is best absorbed through the lining of the mouth. Tip: Try chewing a saltine cracker for a full minute or two. You will begin to taste sweetness. That is an indication that the saliva is breaking down the carbohydrates into simple sugars. 2. The esophagus- After the food is swallowed it enters the esophagus. The esophagus is a muscular tube that helps move the food along to the stomach. 3. The Stomach- In the stomach the enzyme pepsin is excreted and mixes with the hydrochloric acid present in the stomach to begin the digestion of proteins. Once food is passed through the stomach is referred to as chyme. Tip: Often it is thought that too much stomach acid causes acid reflux and heart burn. Too much stomach acid is a very rare condition. Acid reflux and heart burn is more likely caused by over eating. The fo
