WHY DO I HAVE A STOMACH?
How Big Is My Stomach?, What Does the Stomach Do?, Are There Enzymes in the Stomach?
Your stomach is at the end of your esophagus. Food comes into the stomach from the esophagus. The stomach is a bag made of muscle. It breaks down large food chemicals into smaller food chemicals.
Your stomach is part of your digestive system. It is at the end of your esophagus.
BUSY STOMACH. Cows have four stomachs! They need extra stomachs because they eat only grass. Grass is difficult to digest. Digesting it takes a long time.
How Big Is My Stomach?
The size of your stomach changes when you eat. After a meal, it holds about 2 pints (1 liter) of food. It can hold more than 8 pints (4 liters) of food! But that would be very uncomfortable.
What Does the Stomach Do?
The stomach has three jobs:
1. It stores food.
2. It breaks down food into a liquid mixture. The liquid mixture is like a thick cream. To break the food down into a liquid, the stomach squeezes and squashes the food inside it.
3. It slowly moves food into the small intestine.
Are There Enzymes in the Stomach?
The stomach has enzymes. The enzymes help break down protein. Protein is found in some foods such as meat. Enzymes are not the only chemicals in the stomach. The stomach makes other juices, too. These include acid and other chemicals that help with digestion. The stomach mixes the food with the juices. The juices also help kill any harmful bacteria in the food. This keeps us from getting sick.
Enzymes in the stomach help break down protein. Protein is found in bacon, sausages, and beans.
Why Doesn't the Stomach Digest Itself?
Stomach juices are very acidic. You might think that these juices could harm the stomach. But they do not. The stomach is protected by a thick lining.
INDIGESTION. Have you ever had pain in your stomach after eating? This could be indigestion. Eating a big or rich meal can cause it. Then, acid from the stomach splashes up the esophagus. It gives you a burning feeling.
This is sometimes called heartburn. But it has nothing to do with the heart. For help, you take a thick and creamy medicine. The medicine sits on top of the stomach acid. This stops it from splashing up the esophagus.
Why Does My Stomach Rumble?
Your stomach rumbles when you are hungry. Your stomach is always moving and squeezing its contents. There is a ring of muscle at the top of the stomach. There is another ring at the bottom. Air can enter the stomach when the top ring of muscle opens. Sometimes the stomach squeezes air instead of food. Then, it starts to make noises. This is your stomach rumbling. It's time to eat!
How Does Food Leave the Stomach?
Food stays in your stomach when the small intestine is full. But soon there will be space in the small intestine again. Then, the bottom ring of muscle opens. It lets out small amounts of the runny liquid food.
The stomach is like a bag at the end of the esophagus. It twists and squeezes food downward.
WATER. Food is not all we need to survive. Water is very important, too. Our bodies are two-thirds water. We can not live longer than three or four days without water. We get about 20 percent of the water we take in every day from our food.
Additional topics
- WHAT IS GOING ON IN MY INTESTINES? - A Closer Look at the Small Intestine, What Is the Small Intestine's Main Job?
- WHAT HAPPENS IN MY MOUTH? - Why Is My Tongue Important?, What Does Smell Have To Do With It?
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