The intestine (bowel) is the long, winding, tube that is part of
the digestive tract. The intestine helps to process food, extract and absorb
nutrients and water, and eliminate waste.
The intestine is divided into two main parts: the small intestine
and the large intestine.
- The small intestine (small bowel) receives food
from the lower end of the stomach and continues to digest it before passing it
into the large intestine. The small intestine is about
20 ft (6.1 m) to
23 ft (7 m) long and about
1 in. (2.5 cm)
wide.
- The large intestine (large bowel) absorbs chemicals (such as
sodium and chloride), nutrients, and water from the digested food. It also
prepares waste (stool) to be expelled from the body. The large intestine may
also be called the colon. It is about
5 ft (1.5 m) to
6 ft (1.8 m) long and about
3 in. (7.6 cm) wide.
