6 - 3 Digestive System Flashcards
Carbohydrates
Provide energy for the body.
Two types of carbohydrates
Starch and Sugar
Starch
Complex carbohydrate
Sugar
Simple carbohydrate. It is the building block of all carbohydrates.
Fiber
Indigestible material helps food move through your digestive tract.
Fats
Provides energy for the body when carbohydrates are not available.
Two types of fats
Saturated and Unsaturated
Saturated
From animals mainly and usually solid at room temperature.
Unsaturated
From plants mainly and usually liquid at room temperature.
Fatty Acids and Glycerol
Building blocks of fats.
Proteins
Proteins are also used to build and repair the body. In addition, proteins provide energy for the body when fats and carbohydrates are not available.
Amino acids
Building blocks of proteins.
Minerals, Vitamins, Water
Help regulate the body and maintain homeostasis.
Minerals
Helps your body function properly. (ex. Keeps muscles, bones and nerves healthy)
Vitamins
Needed for chemical reaction to occur in the body. (ex. Aids in blood clotting)
Water
Chemical reactions of the body take place in water.
Digestive System
Purpose of the digestive system is to fuel the body with energy from nutrients.
Two main types of digestion
Mechanical and Chemical
Mechanical (digestion)
Physical action of breaking food down into smaller pieces (done in mouth and stomach).
Chemical (digestion)
Food is broken down into the essential nutrients the body can use with the help of chemicals such as enzymes.
Mouth
Helps digest ALL FOODS in the form of mechanical and chemical.
Mechanical (mouth)
Mechanically digested with the movement of the teeth and tounge.
Chemical (mouth)
Chemically digested with the help of saliva and enzyme amylase. Amylase breaks down carbohydrates.
Salivary Glands
Secretes saliva into the mouth. Food DOES NOT enter the salivary glands.
Bolus
The name of the chewed food in your mouth mixed with saliva.
Esophagus
Transports food to the stomach. Smooth muscles push food through the digestive tract, this is known as peristalsis.
Stomach
Helps digest ALL FOODS through BOTH chemical and mechanical digestion.
Mechanical (stomach)
Peristaltic contractions churn the bolus and helps digest all food.
Chemical (stomach)
The stomach lining cells secrete an acid called Gastric Juice. Gastric Juice breaks down proteins into amino acids.
Liver
Produces Bile which chemically digests fats into fatty acids in the small intestine. Food DOES NOT enter the liver.
Gallbladder
Small sac underneath the liver which stores bile. Food DOES NOT enter the gallbladder.
Pancreas
The pancreas is known as the “super gland”. The pancreas produces pancreatic juice which chemically digests carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in the small intestine. Food DOES NOT enter the pancreas.
Small Intestine
The most important digestive organ (22 - 24 ft long) that helps digest ALL FOODS.
Chemical Digestion in the Small Intestine
Bile and Pancreatic Juice digest food in the small intestine. The Small Intestine also produces its own intestinal juice to help break down carbohydrates and protein. Most nutrients digested are absorbed in the lining of the small intestine through tiny structures called Villi.
Large Intestine
Water is absorbed in the large intestine (3 - 4 ft long) but NO actual digestion occurs. Waste products (feces) are collected in the large intestine and are stored in the rectum. Wastes are expelled (released) from the body through the anus.
