What are the five main organs of digestion?

The five main organs of digestion—mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine—play crucial roles in the digestive process.

The mouth is where digestion begins, as it mechanically breaks down food and mixes it with saliva, which contains enzymes that begin to break down carbohydrates. Following the mouth, the esophagus serves as the pathway that transports food from the mouth to the stomach through a series of muscular contractions known as peristalsis.

The stomach further processes the food through mechanical churning and chemical breakdown, using gastric juices that contain hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes. Once the food is transformed into a semi-liquid state known as chyme, it moves into the small intestine, which is the primary site for digestion and absorption of nutrients. Here, enzymes from the pancreas and bile from the liver aid in the breakdown of food.

Finally, the large intestine absorbs water and electrolytes from the remaining indigestible food matter and compacts it into feces for excretion. Each of these organs plays a distinct and vital role in ensuring that food is digested properly and nutrients are absorbed effectively, making this choice the most accurate in identifying the primary organs involved in the digestion process.