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Article: The incredible human body. (excerpt; facts about the digestive system)
- Article from:
- Children's Digest
- Article date:
- July 1, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 Benjamin Franklin Literary & Medical Society, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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You Are What You Eat!
You know that your cells use proteins, fats, carbohydrates, water, nucleic acids, vitamins and tiny amounts of metals like iron and zinc, to make your body. And that is what you eat, in all about sixty-five thousand pounds during your whole life!
Your digestive system is an incredible food processor, a tube that churns and turns food into substances that your cells can use. You decide what to put in your mouth and whether to chew and swallow it, but after that the tube takes over. The first part, called the esophagus (ee-sof-ag-us), is short, thick and muscular. It pushes down the food, mixed with saliva, even if you are eating up-side ...