Digestive Tract Information

The digestive tract breaks food down into smaller molecules that can be absorbed into the blood and used by the body. Food moves from one organ to the next within the digestive tract through a process known as peristalsis. Muscles of the organ contract to squeeze digested material from one organ to the next.

Size

• The human digestive tract is 30 feet long, according to Thinkquest.org. This is five times the height of the average adult. The small intestine is the longest organ in the digestive system, ranging from 7 to 9 yards long.

Function

• The majority of food molecules are digested through the small intestine, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Carbohydrates such as starches and sugars are broken down into simple sugars by enzymes contained in saliva and by juices in the pancreas before being absorbed in the small intestine.

Considerations

• The only two solid organs involved in digestion are the liver and the pancreas, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. These organs produce digestive juices that are released into the small intestine through tubes called ducts. The large intestine is responsible for absorbing water and electrolytes, according to Colorado State University. The large intestine is also the organ that's responsible for the storage and formation of feces.

Protein Digestion

• Proteins are first digested by enzyme juices in the stomach followed by digestive juices in the small intestine. Proteins take significantly more energy to digest than carbohydrates and fats. The digestion of fat starts in the small intestine where bile acids produced in the liver dissolve large fat molecules into smaller ones.

Regulation

• The digestive tract is regulated by hormones such as gastrin, secretin and cholecystokinin, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Gastrin causes the stomach to produce acid to digest foods and supports normal cell growth within the digestive tract. Secretin causes the pancreas to produce bicarbonates that help neutralize acidic stomach contents. Cholecystokinin promotes normal cell growth in the pancreas and stimulates the production of pancreatic juice.