5 Facts About Your Intestines

Did you know if you unfolded your intestines, they'd be taller than a giraffe? Yep, they form a digestive tube so lengthy it's got two sections. The so-called small intestine is about 22 feet long on average. That's over three times the size of LeBron James. The small intestine is also super thin, just one and 1/2 to two inches around, almost the diameter of a golf ball, yet its surface is massive. If you flattened it out, it would be about the size of a tennis court. This surface absorbs nutrients from around one to three gallons of digested food per day.

What's left of the food goes into your large intestine. And guess what? It's about 15 feet shorter than the small intestine. Ironic, huh? But at three to four inches around, it's wider, about the size of a teacup or small grapefruit. After it absorbs the water and salts from your digested food, it's ready to get rid of the leftover waste, and this means a bathroom break is in your near future.