Your digestive system breaks down the food you eat into nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. They can then be absorbed into your bloodstream so your body can use them for energy, growth, and repair. Unused materials are discarded as faeces (or stools).

The digestive system is made up of the digestive tract and other organs that help the body break down and absorb food.

Your digestive tract is a long, twisting tube that starts at your mouth, and then involves your oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus. Other organs that form part of the digestive system are the pancreas, liver, and gallbladder.