Hi there! My name is Taco, and I am going to teach you about my journey through the digestive system!

The journey beings when I am ingested. Teeth aid in mechanical digestion by breaking me up into smaller pieces. I am then mixed with saliva which contains chemicals called enzymes that chemically break me down. After the breakdown, I turn into a soft lump called a "bolus."

Once I am chewed, I get propelled down the esophagus. Muscles within the Esophagus contract to help transport me down into the stomach. 

The stomach is a mixing and holding reservoir. Gastric Juice is a liquid produced by the stomach to chemically break down foods. Once I am mixed with the gastric juice, I am then called "chyme." 

I proceed to the pancreas. It contains a lot of enzymes to further break me down. The pancreas also produces hormones, like insulin, to regulate blood sugar. 

A liquid called "bile" is produced in the liver. The liver maintains blood glucose, metabolizes lipids, processes drugs/other chemicals, excretes bilirubin, stores fat-soluble vitamins, and makes vitamin D.

The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ that stores and releases the bile. Bile helps me to further break down for my trip to the small intestine. 

The small intestine contains 3 parts: Duodenum, Jejunum, and Ilium. This is where I mostly get digested, released into the bloodstream, and absorbed into the body. 

Once I leave the small intestine, I arrive to the large intestine. It consists of the Cecum, Colon, Rectum, and Anal Canal. This is where most water reabsorption occurs. 

My last stop is the Anus. It is responsible for the defecation of wastes.