The Need for Digestion

Food taken in by the body must be digested to allow the nutrients within it to be utilised.
Digestion converts large, insoluble food molecules into small, water-soluble molecules that can be absorbed into the blood and utilised by the body.
Digestion ensures the body gets the energy it needs to function properly. It breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which is a primary energy source.
Proteins are digested into amino acids, which are essential for growth and repair in the body.
Fats are digested into fatty acids and glycerol, which provide energy and help in the formation of cell membranes and some hormones.
Where minerals and vitamins are attached to large carbohydrate or protein molecules, these need to be released through digestion in order for the body to absorb and use them.
Through digestion, waste products that the body cannot use are formed into faeces and excreted.
Digestion is a complex process that involves physical breaking down of food by chewing and churning in the stomach, and chemical break down by digestive enzymes.
Digestive enzymes are produced by different parts of the digestive system, including the salivary glands, stomach, pancreas, and small intestine.
Each enzyme works on a specific type of food molecule. Carbohydrase breaks down carbohydrates, lipase breaks down fats, and protease breaks down proteins.
Digestion happens in different stages and locations in the digestive system, including the mouth, stomach, and small intestine.
Any undigested food is stored in the large intestine, from where it is later eliminated from the body.