Gastric juice is the powerful acidic liquid your stomach produces to help break down food. When you swallow a bite of sandwich, it doesn't just sit there: your stomach quickly goes to work, coating the food with gastric juice that begins dissolving it into a soupy mixture your body can absorb.

The main ingredient in gastric juice is hydrochloric acid, which is strong enough to dissolve some metals. Your stomach protects itself with a thick layer of mucus, like a shield lining its walls. Gastric juice also contains enzymes, special proteins that act like tiny scissors, cutting apart the proteins in your food into smaller pieces.

Scientists call something gastric when it relates to the stomach. A gastric illness affects your stomach, and gastric surgery is an operation on the stomach.

Without gastric juice, you couldn't digest your meals properly. This acidic juice transforms everything you eat into nutrients your body can actually use, turning breakfast, lunch, and dinner into the energy and building blocks that keep you growing and active.