Digestion Flashcards
Define digestion
Process of breaking down foods
Define ingestion
Process of taking in food
Define the process of peristalsis
Squeezing muscle that push food through
What 2 things are involved in digestion?
Hormones and enzymes
Explain the difference between macronutrients and micronutrients in digestion
Macronutrients are broken down to smaller molecules
Micronutrients are “released” from food during digestion but mostly not broken down
What happens to macronutrients when they are absorbed?
They are metabolised for energy and muscle building
What are undigested residues collected as at the end of the process?
As stool
Explain the process of ingestion
Food is chewed into smaller pieces
How many teeth do humans have?
32
When salivary glands produce saliva, which enzyme is created?
Amylase
What does the enzyme amylase break down?
Carbohydrates
What is the entire GIT ringed with?
Circular and longitudal muscles
What are the muscle in the GIT called?
Peristalsis and sphincter
What is the function of peristalsis?
Moves bolus of food through digestive tract
What is the function of the sphincter muscles?
Contract movement from 1 section to another
Which 2 types of digestion occur in the stomach?
Physical and chemical
What 2 proteins assist in chemical digestion in the stomach?
HCL and pepsin
Define HCL’s role
Acid that protects us from eating harmful bacteria
Define the role of mucus in the stomach
Helps protect stomach getting eaten by HCL
What makes the stomach acidic?
Chyme
What is the valve that goes from the small intestine to the large intestine?
Illoecal valve
Where does most water get dissolved, as well as the reabsorption of water and minerals?
In the large intestine
Where are faeces stored and formed?
In the large intestine
Define bacterial fermentation and where it happens
Happens in the large intestine and digests bits of food that the small intestine hasnt
What are nutrients absorbed by?
The epithelial cell
What do nutrients travel via to get to the liver?
The hepatic portal vein
What is the liver known for?
The body’s major metabolic organ
Which system do large fats and fat soluble vitamins enter?
The lymphatic system
Where do nutrients go from the lymphatic system?
Into the blood
Which organ does celiac disease impact?
Small intestine
What impact does celiac disease cause for the small intestine?
The lining of the small intestine become inflamed and damaged
What does celiac disease to do villi and what is its importance to villi?
It damages the villi and therefore decreases the absorption of nutrients
Define celiac disease
A permanent intestinal reaction to dietary gluten
What impact does chrons disease cause to the digestive system?
Thickening and inflamamtion
Define probiotics
Bacteria found in foods like yoghurt, kimchi and kombucha
Define prebiotics
Found in foods such as dietary fibre used by the intestinal tract
Define the villi function
Absorbs nutrients
