DIGESTION STUDY NOTES

10.4 Roles of Carbs, Lipids, Proteins, Vitamins + Minerals

(Six essential nutrients: carbs, fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins and water)
Carbohydrates: Our main source of energy (burning off energy) Made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen Can be simple like glucose or complex like a starch - When two simple sugars combine they create a disaccharide which is then broken down by the process of hydrolysis. Hydrolysis: a chemical reaction in which water reacts with a compound to produce other compounds; involves the splitting of a bond and the addition of the hydrogen cat-ion and the hydroxide anion from the water Breakdown of starch starts in the mouth due to amylase (enzyme) in saliva which breaks it down to maltase. Digestion then continues in the small intestine by the process of hydrolysis {there is no digestion in the stomach because amylase cannot work properly due to extreme high pH conditions (very acidic)}. The amylase inserts a water molecule into the now 2 glucose molecules in maltose to into single glucans.

Fats (Lipids): Second source of energy Fats are good for body if not eaten too much Digestion of fats starts in the stomach; bile that is (produced in the liver and stored in the gall bladder) helps to break apart fat molecules increasing surface area (to maximize efficiency) making easier to absorb nutrients. Then in the small intestine; the now smaller fat molecules are broken down by an enzyme called lipase which breakdowns the smaller fat molecules into glycerol + 3 fatty acids which are absorbed by the microvilli. Some of the fatty acids are then transported to the liver, where they may be converted to glycogen. Proteins: Third source for energy (last resort) but proteins are mainly used as building blocks. Enzymes, molecules that enable the hundreds of metabolic reactions to take place in the body. Antibodies to disease and many hormones are proteins. Digestion starts in the stomach where proteins are broken down into short chains of amino acids by hydrochloric acid. - Enzyme called pepsinogen (inactive) is made active by HCl it is then called pepsin. Entering the duodenum enzymes like tripsinogen (inactive) activated by enterkinase into trypsin (active) help break down the protein into peptides. Chimotrypsinogen (inactive) is made active by trypsin which is then called chymotrypsin. When carried out to the bloodstream in the small intestine, they are carried to the liver. From there most are transported to the cells.

Vitamins + Minerals: Minerals enable certain chemical reactions and help build bones and cartilage. - They do not contain carbon, like carbs, proteins and lipids so they can be readily absorbed into the bloodstream. - Essential components of hormones, enzymes and vitamins. Vitamins are coenzymes chemicals needed to make enzymes function. - Vitamin K and B12 are produced in the intestines by beneficial bacteria.

10.3 Chemical Digestion