Digestion

• Digestion is how the body breaks down food to use it.
• Food is first chewed and mixed with saliva in the mouth.
• The stomach further breaks down food using digestive juices.
• The intestines absorb nutrients; unused waste leaves the body.

Level 1 — Core idea

Verbal: Food travels through the body like a long tube, changing along the way so it can be used for energy and growth.

Symbolic: Mouth (chew) → Stomach (break down) → Intestine (absorb) → Waste (out).

Visual: Draw a simple path from mouth down to stomach and intestines with arrows.

Level 2 — Going deeper

Chewing food well in the mouth makes digestion easier for the stomach. Drinking enough water also helps digestion.

NCERT anchor

NCERT Looking Around 3 links good food habits with staying healthy, including eating slowly and chewing properly.

Why should you chew food well before swallowing?

Step 1 — Chewing breaks food into smaller pieces
Step 2 — Smaller pieces are **easier for the stomach** to digest
Answer: Chewing well helps **digestion** ✓

After food leaves the stomach, what happens next?

Step 1 — Partly digested food moves to the **intestines**
Step 2 — Intestines **absorb nutrients** the body needs
Answer: Intestines absorb useful nutrients ✓

• Where does digestion of food begin?
• Which organ absorbs nutrients from food?
• Why is chewing food well important?
• Stretch: What might happen if someone eats too quickly without chewing?

Revision tip: Trace the food path with your finger: mouth, then stomach, then intestines.

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Digestion.