Stomach

Your stomach is part of your digestive tract. The stomach is a large, hollow organ with strong muscular walls. Food and liquids you swallow come into your stomach from your esophagus Esophagus Your digestive system breaks food down into separate nutrients that fuel your body. Your digestive tract (also called the gastrointestinal or GI tract) is the hollow tube that food goes through... read more .

The cells lining your stomach release:

The mucus protects your stomach from stomach acid. Certain medicines (like aspirin) and certain germs can stop the mucus from doing its job and cause a stomach ulcer Peptic Ulcer Disease Your stomach makes a lot of acid, which helps digest food. Normally, the lining of your stomach and intestines has defenses against the acid. If something interferes with those defenses, the... read more .

Stomach acid is hydrochloric acid. The acid helps break down food.

The enzyme pepsin breaks down proteins, such as the proteins in meat.

The muscles in your stomach tighten and relax to mix food with the acid and enzymes (stomach juices). The mixing and the stomach juices break food down into a liquid that your body can absorb. The muscles also help pass food out of your stomach into the small intestine Small Intestine Your digestive system breaks food down into separate nutrients that fuel your body. Your digestive tract (also called the gastrointestinal or GI tract) is the hollow tube that food goes through... read more .