Which organ of the body is primarily responsible for the digestion of food?

The intestines play a crucial role in the digestion of food, particularly in nutrient absorption. Once food has been broken down in the stomach, it passes into the small intestine, where enzymes and bile further break down food components such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The walls of the small intestine are lined with tiny hair-like structures called villi, which increase the surface area for absorption, allowing essential nutrients to pass through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream.

After the small intestine, the remaining matter enters the large intestine, where water and electrolytes are absorbed, and waste material is prepared for elimination. This two-part process in the intestines—first in the small intestine and then in the large intestine—highlights their crucial function in food digestion and processing, making them the primary organs responsible for these functions. The other listed organs, while important in different bodily processes (such as the stomach initially breaking down food, the liver aiding in detoxification and metabolism, and the kidneys filtering waste from the blood), do not play the main role in the actual digestion and absorption of nutrients as the intestines do.