Inside the Digestive System

WHAT'S HAPPENING?
Step 1 of 7

Mouth: mechanical + chemical digestion

Teeth break food into smaller pieces while saliva pools around them and coats the food, moistening it and starting to break down starch.

Time Spent Here10–30 seconds of chewing
Enzymes & JuicesSalivary amylase (ptyalin) — starts breaking starch into sugars
Food's Form ChangesWhole bite → chewed into a soft, saliva-moistened lump (a "bolus")
Your Body's ResponseSmooth, efficient digestion — steady glucose release, optimal micronutrient absorption, and happy gut flora.