We need food to:
-Provide us with energy for our daily activities-Maintain a healthy body
-Grow new cells
-Repair worn out cells
There are 3 main types of nutrients, Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats.
Carbohydrates
-Our immediate source of energy-Found in food like rice, bread and noodles
-Exist in different forms such as starch, sucrose, maltose and glucose
Proteins
-Large molecules made up of amino acids
-Makes enzymes
-Found in food like fish, meat and eggs
Fats
-Large insoluble molecules made up of glycerol and fatty acids-Found in food like butter and cheese
-Stored under our skin and acts as an insulator
The nutrients in the food we eat has to pass through the gut walls and into the blood vessels, in order to be carried through the bloodstream to all parts of the body. However, the gut walls has small openings which only allow molecules small enough to pass through, hence, most nutrients has to be broken down into smaller molecules, as they are too big, in order to be able to pass through the gut walls, and this process is called Digestion.
Enzymes
Enzymes are complex proteins that speed up the rate of chemical reactions by breaking down large molecules into smaller molecules. Enzymes remains unchanged at the end of chemical reactions.
Type of Enzymes:
Enzymes Acts on Digested products
Amylase Starch Maltose
Maltase Maltose Glucose
Protease Proteins Amino acids
Lipase Fats Fatty acids and glycerol
