Digestion of fats, carbohydrates + proteins

Question 1

Describe the digestion of carbohydrates.

Answer 1

• Salivary amylase in the mouth.
• Pancreatic amylase in the small intestine > broken down into monosaccharides before absorption.

Question 2

Describe the absorption of carbohydrates.

Answer 2

• Monosaccarides pass through the intestinal cell wall.
• Via active transport + facilitated diffusion.

Question 3

Describe the digestion of proteins.

Answer 3

• Pepsin in the stomach.
• Protein is broken down into small amino acids in the small intestine.

Question 4

Describe the absorption of proteins.

Answer 4

• Amino acids are absorbed into the liver.
• Transported to the bloodstream.
• Contribute to amino acid pools.

Question 5

Describe the digestion of fats.

Answer 5

• Issues with chemical digestion.
• Due to their chemical makeup.
• Small intestine breaks fats into fatty acids + glycerol.
• The pancreas releases pancreatic lipase which removes fatty acid backbone.

Question 6

Describe the absorption of fats.

Answer 6

• Diffuse across the intestinal cell layer.
• Intestinal cells repackage them into chylomicrons.
• For absorption of lacteal.