The digestive system is responsible for processing food, breaking it down into usable |proteins|, |carbohydrates|, |minerals|, |fats|, and other substances, and introducing these into the bloodstream so that they can be used by the body. The digestive, or alimentary, tract begins at the |mouth|, where the |teeth| and |tongue| begin the breakdown of food, aided by saliva secreted by the salivary |glands|. The chewed food, combined with saliva, is swallowed, carrying it in peristalytic (contractile) waves down the |esophagus| to the |stomach|. In the |stomach|, the food combines with hydrochloric acid which further assists in breaking it down. When the food is thoroughly digested, the fluid remaining, called chyme, is passed through the |pylorus| sphincter to the |small intestine| and |large intestines|. Within the long, convoluted intestinal canals, the nutrients are absorbed from the chyme into the bloodstream, leaving the unusable residue. This residue passes through the colon (where most of the water is absorbed into the bloodstream) and into the |rectum| where it is stored prior to excretion. This solid waste, called ~feces~, is compacted together and, upon excretion, passes through the |anal canal| and the |anus|. Along the way through the digestive tract, the |pancreas|, |spleen|, |liver|, and |gall bladder| secrete ~enzymes~ which aid in the digestive process.
