Body & wellbeing · 3–4
The digestive system
The digestive system breaks food into nutrients the body can absorb and use. Food travels from the mouth through the oesophagus to the stomach, then through the small and large intestines.
Quick review
Key points to remember
- Teeth and saliva begin digestion.
- The oesophagus carries food to the stomach.
- The small intestine absorbs most nutrients.
- The large intestine absorbs water.
Useful words
Topic vocabulary
- Digestion
- Breaking food into substances small enough to absorb.
- Nutrient
- A useful substance in food that the body needs.
- Oesophagus
- The tube carrying food from mouth to stomach.
- Intestine
- An organ where nutrients and water are absorbed.