Protein Digestion

Protein digestion is a crucial process in the human body, involving the breakdown of complex protein molecules into their constituent amino acids.

Definition: Proteins are long chains of chemicals called amino acids.

The process of protein digestion involves the following steps:

1. Proteases, enzymes specialized in breaking down proteins, convert the long protein chains back into individual amino acids.
2. These amino acids are then absorbed into the bloodstream.
3. Once absorbed by body cells, the amino acids are reassembled in a different order to create human proteins.

Highlight: The rearrangement of amino acids in body cells allows for the creation of proteins specific to human needs.

Carbohydrate Digestion

Carbohydrates, particularly starch, are broken down by enzymes called carbohydrases. The specific enzyme responsible for starch digestion is amylase.

Vocabulary: Amylase - An enzyme that breaks down starch into simple sugars.

Key points about carbohydrate digestion:

• Starch consists of a chain of glucose molecules.
• When digested, carbohydrates produce simple sugars.
• Amylase is found in saliva and pancreatic fluid, allowing for carbohydrate digestion to begin in the mouth and continue in the small intestine.

Example: When you chew bread, the amylase in your saliva begins breaking down the starch into simpler sugars.