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← Inside Your Gut

A1 · 4 min · Free

The digestive journey

Put the main parts of digestion in order and describe one job each part does.

Start here

An oat, a blueberry and a spoonful of yoghurt all travel through the same connected system. Each part changes or handles the meal in a different way.

Key idea

What to know

Digestion starts before food reaches the stomach. Chewing breaks food into smaller pieces, while saliva begins the digestive process. The oesophagus then moves the swallowed food towards the stomach.

The stomach mixes food with fluid and digestive juices. From there, the mixture enters the small bowel, where digestion continues and many nutrients move into the body. What remains passes into the colon. The colon absorbs water and helps form stool before it leaves the body.

This simplified map shows the main route and what each part does. It does not show how quickly digestion should happen for you. Timing varies, and symptoms can have many causes.

Try it

Put the main parts of digestion in order

Put the main parts of digestion in order. Use Move earlier and Move later, then check the order.

A simplified digestive routeA line connects mouth and oesophagus, stomach, small bowel and colon in sequence.

Digestive order:

  1. Mouth and oesophagus — Chewing starts the process, then swallowing moves food towards the stomach.
  2. Stomach — Mixes food with fluid and digestive juices.
  3. Small bowel — Continues digestion and absorbs many nutrients.
  4. Colon — Absorbs water and helps form stool.

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  1. Small bowelContinues digestion and absorbs many nutrients.
  2. Mouth and oesophagusChewing starts the process, then swallowing moves food towards the stomach.
  3. ColonAbsorbs water and helps form stool.
  4. StomachMixes food with fluid and digestive juices.

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Review the key idea

What are the four main parts of the digestive system, in order?

Show the answer

Mouth and oesophagus, stomach, small bowel, then colon.

For your appointment

Prepare a question for your care team

  • Which part of digestion would be most useful for me to understand better?
  • Could you explain how my own procedure or condition relates to this general digestive map?

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Sources
  • The digestive system — Healthdirect Australia (accessed 2026)
  • Your Digestive System & How it Works — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (accessed 2026)

General gut-health education from Colonoscopy Brisbane. It does not replace advice from your doctor or an Accredited Practising Dietitian. Talk with them about your own situation.