How Does the Digestive Tract Work?
The food we eat goes through one long journey, where it travels from the mouth, all the way through the stomach and the intestines, and finally, excreted.
The food we eat goes through one long journey, where it travels from the mouth, all the way through the stomach and the intestines, and finally, excreted. Although the digestive tract is connected as a single system, each part of the digestive tract has characteristics which define their function.
Firstly, when your child begins to eat, the teeth are responsible for cutting, tearing, and chewing food, breaking it down into smaller pieces to be swallowed. The digestion is assisted by saliva, which begins the digestive process before the food is swallowed. When your child swallows food, the food travels down the oesophagus in slightly smaller pieces to the stomach. There, the food is broken down further with the stomach’s gastric acid, before being sent to the small intestine. In the small intestine, various nutrients from the food is absorbed. The rest of the undigested food will travel to the large intestine before being excreted.
Outside of the digestive tract, there are additional digestive organs which support your child’s digestion. The salivary glands, liver, pancreas, and bile gland are such organs. They produce enzymes, bile salts, and other useful chemicals to assist in digestion and break down food as it travels through your child’s digestive track.
If your child’s digestive tract is not functioning at its best, the overall function of the digestive system may be disrupted. As a result, your child’s body may not be absorbing the nutrition it needs. Your child may not only be feeling uncomfortable, but there may be other effects of an unhealthy digestive system.
As parents, you can support your child by giving them the right nutrition. Fruits and vegetables are a good way to start, as they contain fibre. As for supporting your child’s healthy gut, you can try probiotics, which can be found in yogurt or fortified milk. They are beneficial bacteria which support gut heatlh. Look out for milk that contain probiotics such as L. reuteri.
LACTOGROW Aktif is a specially formulated milk powder for children aged 1 to 3 years old, plus the goodness of L. Reuteri probiotics to reduce the risk of constipation, for tummy comfort, and for a happy child! With 0% sucrose added, it contains an optimum combination of 15 vitamins & minerals that meets the nutritional needs of your child.
Related articles
Food allergies in children Vs intolerances—things to consider
Child allergies and intolerances can develop at any time. An allergy is our immune system’s reaction to a substance it thinks is harmful.
3 mins to read
5 Things You Need To Know About Protein
What is “protein”, anyway? If we remember our high school biology right, it’s one of the building blocks of life, right?
4 mins to read
Natural Protection
HEALTHY GUT, STRONG PROTECTION. Whenever we think of a child's immune system, we picture white blood cells and antibodies moving like soldiers to defeat the germs in the body.
14 mins to read
Is Your Little One Vomitting? Learn Why and How to Handle It
In general, little one vomiting will freak you and your partner out.
4 mins to read
Constipation in Children
Constipation doesn’t only happen to grown-ups, but to toddlers and children as well. Constipation can cause discomfort, pain and may require intensive treatment if prolonged.
2 mins to read
Tips for Keeping Your Child Healthy
Tips for Keeping Your Child Healthy. Raising a healthy child requires time, dedication and more importantly love from you and your partner.
3 mins to read
Finding a Balanced Weight for Your Child
Your child’s ever-increasing play time means that they could be expending more calories than they are consuming. That is when you will notice your child begins to lose weight.
3 mins to read
Encouraging Your Child to Eat Right
Every parent wants their child to eat right. When it comes to meal time, your child needs all the right nutrients, and in balanced portions
2 mins to read
How to provide a healthy toddler diet
A healthy toddler diet now can set your little one up for a lifetime of healthy eating. Here are some nutrition building blocks for the best food for toddlers.
2 mins to read
Preventing Childhood Allergies: Is it Possible?
Sneezing, wheezing, tearing up; these are some of the symptoms you may have seen in others with allergies.
2 mins to read
Child’s Immunity Boosting Foods
Let Your Child Try These Immunity Boosting Foods The immune system
2 mins to read
Feeding Your Growing Child
After the first year, your child will seem to grow at a slower rate, and eat less often.
4 mins to read
Allergies and the Immune System
Did you know that allergies are linked to the immune system? Most of the time when children have an allergy, it is a result of his or her immune system reacting to a false alarm.
4 mins to read
Raising Healthy Active Kids
One can argue that raising healthy active kids is simple especially in a country like Malaysia.
3 mins to read
The Difference between Bacteria and Viruses
There are countless microorganisms living and moving around us every day.
3 mins to read
Partially Hydrolysed Protein vs Regular Cow’s Milk Protein: The Hard Facts
Milk is power packed with all sorts of nutrients for a growing child. And just like a superhero has his source of strength, your child can get a variety of vitamins and minerals from milk.
1 min to read
3 Simple Steps to Improve Your Child’s Immunity
The immune system is your child’s first line of defence against disease-causing microorganisms
2 mins to read
Probiotics, Prebiotics and Antibiotics
Did you know what’s the difference between Probiotics, Prebiotics and Antibiotics?
2 mins to read
Your child-ready diet
Enjoy the recommended servings from the five food groups to give your pregnancy – and your child -to-be – a healthy start! Here’s what a day of nutritious, balanced eating could look like…
1 min to read
Related tools
