How your Body uses Food Unit 1 Nutrition 101

Digestion  The process of breaking down food into usable nutrients.  It takes place in the digestive system, a long, hallow tube that extends from the mouth through the entire body.

The Mouth  Can begin even before food enters into your mouth.  Saliva is the first of many digestive juices that act on food to break it down chemically.  Teeth- grinds into tiny pieces  Chewing food well is important

The Esophagus  Once swallowed, it passes thru the esophagus.  Esophagus- long tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.  The muscles of the esophagus contract and relax, creating a series of wavelike movements that force the food into the stomach, this is known as peristalsis.

The Stomach  Muscular pouch located on the left of your body, inside the rib cage.  Walls of stomach manufacture gastric juices– a combination of acid and enzymes that helps in the chemical breakdown of food.  Food is churned until it turns into a thick liquid called chyme. (KIME)

The Stomach continued  Different foods take different amounts of time to break down.  Think of your stomach as a holding tank.  Carbs- 1-2 hours  Proteins-3-5 hours  Fats- 7 hours

The Small Intestines  From the stomach, chyme is released into the small intestine a little at a time.  The small intestine is a long, winding tube between the stomach and the large intestines.  Here, the chyme is acted on by three types of digestive jucies:

 Bile- substance that helps yoru body diest and absorb fats. Produced in liver, stored in gall bladder until needed.  Pancreatic juice- Contains enzymes that help break down carbs, proteins, and fats.  Intestinal juice- produced in small intestine. The digestive fluid works with the others to break down food.

The Small Intestine continued  When fully broken down, carbs are turned into simple sugar called glucose.  Glucose- Body’s basic fuel supply. Fats are changed into fatty acids. Proteins are broken down into amino acids. Vitamins, minerals, and water do not need to be broken down– they are ready for action, as is.

Absorption  After digestion, the nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream.  Villi- fingerlike projections- absorb nutrients.  After absorption, some waste mineral, including fiber, is left in the small intestine.

 It is then moved into the large intestines, AKA colon