The Digestive System

The digestive system is a way for nutrients from the outside environment to get to various parts of the body. At its simplest, the digestive system is a tube running from the mouth to the anus. This tube is similar to an assembly line, or more properly, a disassembly line. Its chief goal is to break down huge macromolecules (proteins,* fats, and starches) that cannot be absorbed as they are into smaller molecules (amino acids, fatty acids, and glucoses) that can be absorbed by the circulatory system. The circulatory system then disseminates the smaller molecules throughout the body.