Process of digestion

Here, we are going to learn how to remember that digestion is the break down of food.

Three forms of food, protein, carbohydrate and fats are broken down as follows:

1. Proteins (which are made up of peptides) are broken up by protease enzymes (e.g. pepsin and trypsin) to form amino acids.
   
   
2. Carbohydrates which include starch (poly-saccharide) and sugars (mono-saccharides and di-saccharide) which are saccharides (saccharides are classified by the number of saccharide units they contain i.e. mono-saccharide, di-saccharide and ploy-saccharide) are broken up (emulsified) by amylase enzymes to form glucose. 
   
   
3. Fats and oils (which are lipids) are broken up by lipase enzymes to form fatty acids and glycerol.

Minerals, vitamins and water are already small enough to be absorbed by the body without being broken down so are not digested. 

Fibre can not be broken down by digestion and is therefore passed through the body to the anus.

Summary

Digestion

Proteins

Carbohydrates

Fats

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Breakdown of food

Protease enzymes

Amylase enzymes

Lipase enzymes

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Amino acids

Glucose

Fatty acids and glycerol