2. Teeth grind up the food
3. Saliva from glands under the tongue helps break down and lubricate the food
4. Food travels through the 12-hour 13ft journey through the gut
5. Passes from the stomach into the small intestine
6. Passes into the large intestine
7. Waves of contracting muscle keep the food moving (peristalsis)
8. Food enters the stomach through a hole at the top
9. Stomach churns, squashes and squeezes food into liquid
10. Acids break down the food
11. Stomach walls protected by mucus lining
12. Stomach squeezes broken down food out through the pyloric sphincter
13. Food enters the small intestine
14. Interior wall of small intestine lined with villi to increase surface area for absorption
15. Pancreas pumps out juice to neutralize stomach acid
16. Bile from liver breaks down fats into tiny droplets
17. Small intestine absorbs most nutrients
18. Food enters large intestine through the ileocecal sphincter
19. Large intestine extracts water from waste
20. Bacteria in large intestine produce enzymes to break down complex carbohydrates
21. Expel what's left of the first meal after 12 hours
