- Amylase- This enzyme is used to digest starches and Carbohydrates, it turns them into a substance called Maltose.
- Pepsin- This enzyme helps digest proteins, and turns them into amino acids. It needs to be at a low PH to work.
- Lipase- This digests fats and oils, and turns them into fatty acids and glycerol.
The enzymes are what turn the food into nutrients. Without them food wouldn’t be turned into nutrients and we would not benefit from getting any kind of energy or forms of growth whatsoever from the foods that we eat.
Different food groups contain different nutrients which help us with different things, some might contain for nutrients required for energy and some might contain nutrients that are required to help us grow. Carbohydrates contain lots of energy, to help us power our bodies; Proteins contain nutrients which help aid us with growth and repair, but can also provide energy; Fats help keep the body insulated and warm, as well as being used to help protect organs, muscles and bones, Fats also contain what is needed to create cell membranes, again it provides some energy, although most of the energy we use comes from Carbohydrates. Fibre is slightly different from most other nutrients, it is not actually digested. It is kept in the intestines to help move around the digested food and other materials.
So how does food enter the digestive system? The answer is the moment you swallow your food. The mouth is the first step on the long journey of the food. Once the food has entered the mouth it is chewed up and broken down using saliva, which contains an enzyme called Amylase. After it is soft and small enough it is swallowed. After being swallowed the food is pushed down the oesophagus, a long tube running from the mouth to the stomach, the food is transported to the stomach via the oesophagus. Once into the stomach the digestive juices begin to break the food down more, sugar is transported into the bloodstream here so that is the reason sugary foods give a quick burst of energy because the sugars are digested so early, then moving into the small intestine where the nutrients are extracted from the food. Then the remainder of the food, made up of water and fibre is moved into the large intestine. In the large intestine the water and fibre is pushed along to the rectum. Here is where the excess substances which weren’t digested are excreted from the body.
There are 4 stages of digestion. The first is called ingestion, this is where food is eaten and broken down by saliva; the second is digestion, this is obviously where food is digested and broken down into nutrients to provide energy and aid growth and repair; the third is Absorption, this is where enzymes are used to help break down the foods even further; the fourth is egestion, this is where water is taken out of the remainder of unused waste which is then excreted as faeces.
Digestion is one of the most important processes of the human body. Without it we wouldn’t be able to get any nutrients, energy or fuel for growth. Food is a very important thing. And must be eaten in balanced amounts to be healthy and receive the right nutrients to keep our bodies running Without it we would most certainly die, sadly many people in poorer countries do not have much food and can often starve to death. This happens because they don’t have the nutrients which give them any energy to keep their body working. Food is what keeps us alive- and digestion is what takes the nutrients from the food to keep us alive.
Food
The main food groups are Carbohydrates, Fats, Vitamins, Salts, Proteins and Fibres, which can be found in many different foods, though in some more than others. Vitamins are found from mainly Fruit and Vegetables; Carbohydrates found in starchy foods; Fats are found in dairy and sugary foods; Proteins are found in meats and other energy foods such as eggs and nuts; And fibre is found in wholemeal starchy foods and Fruits.
Different food groups contain different nutrients which help us with different things, some might contain for nutrients required for energy and some might contain nutrients that are required to help us grow. Carbohydrates contain lots of energy, to help us power our bodies; Proteins contain nutrients which help aid us with growth and repair, but can also provide energy; Minerals also help maintain cells; Fats help keep the body insulated and warm, as well as being used to help protect organs, muscles and bones, Fats also contain what is needed to create cell membranes, again it provides some energy, although most of the energy we use comes from Carbohydrates. Fibre is slightly different from most other nutrients, it is not actually digested. It is kept in the intestines to help move around the digested food and other materials. Also water is found in many foods and drinks, it helps hydrate the body and produce body fluids as well as maintaining cells.
Carbohydrates, Fats, Vitamins, Salts, Proteins and Fibres come in many different foods, below are some examples of what nutrients are in which foods:
- Rice- Contains mostly Carbohydrates and very little Water or Protein.
- Chocolate- Contains mostly Carbohydrates, a small amount of protein and very little water.
- Cucumber- Contains mostly Water (90% of it is water), very little protein and no Carbohydrates.
- Soya Beans- Contains mostly Protein, a small amount of Carbohydrate and very little water.
So many different foods contain different nutrients. Nutrients are what we require to keep us alive, without food we would be able to get no nutrients and wouldn’t be able to live.
