The Mouth: Where Digestion Begins

The mouth is the first step in the digestive journey — your built-in food processor.
Chewing (mastication) breaks food into smaller, easier-to-digest pieces.
Saliva mixes with food to start chemical digestion instantly.
The tongue helps position food for chewing and moves it toward the throat for swallowing.
Enzymes in saliva begin breaking down starches into sugars.
Taste buds signal your brain to expect incoming nutrients and trigger digestive juices.
The smell and texture of food enhance saliva flow for smoother digestion.
Proper chewing helps prevent bloating and indigestion later on.
Even before swallowing, your body is already preparing the stomach to receive food.
Digestion truly begins the moment food touches your tongue.