DIGESTION

When food has been eaten, it must be broken down in the body by the process of digestion.
Food goes through many changes both physical/mechanical and chemical as it travels along
the alimentary tract/canal

DIGESTION OF FOOD
Digestion is the process that changes large nutrient molecules into smaller molecules so that
they can enter the blood stream and be used by body cells. It breaks food down into
absorbable units which dissolve in your blood before travelling around your body. It is the
process by which food is changed in the alimentary tract.

PARTS OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM/ALIMENTARY CANAL/GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT

The alimentary tract is the passage through which material travels from the time food enters
the mouth until the waste leaves the body.

Mouth – the oral cavity containing the tongue and teeth

Esophagus – is a muscular tube that directs your food from your mouth to your stomach
through peristalsis and the pull of gravity esophagus is also known as the gullet.
Stomach – a muscular, elastic, saclike portion of the digestive tract which takes food from
the esophagus that grinds and churns swallowed food, mixing it with acid and enzymes to
form chyme
Small intestines – is a 10-foot length of small-diameter intestine that is the major site of
digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. Its segments are the duodenum, jejunum, and
ileum
Large intestines – is the lower portion of intestine that completes the digestive process. Its
segments are the ascending colon, the transverse colon, the descending colon and the
sigmoid colon
Rectum – the muscular terminal part of the intestine, extending from the sigmoid colon to
the anus
Anus – the terminal outlet of the GI tract
HOW FOOD IS DIGESTED
Two major processes are involved in the breakdown of food:
1. Physical – this is the means by which food is:
a. masticated (chewed) mixed with saliva and broken down into small pieces
b. peristalsis – the muscle walls of the digestive tract contracting and relaxing to
push food along the alimentary canal

2. Chemical – this is the means by which food is changed into simpler substances
 Proteins to amino acids
 Carbohydrates to simple sugars like glucose
 Fats to fatty acids and glycerol

This is done by the action of digestive enzymes. These enzymes include:

a. Ptyalin (salivary amylase)
b. Hydrochloric acid (in gastric juice)
c. Pepsin
d. Rennin
e. Lipase

Vitamins, minerals and water do not need to be digested.

Mastication (chewing) is the process by which food is crushed and ground by the teeth. It is
the first step of digestion.

Absorption is the passage of the end products of digestion from the gastrointestinal tract
into the blood and lymphatic vessels and the cells of tissues (as it relates to digestion)

Bolus is a small rounded mass of a substance especially of chewed food at the moment of
swallowing

Peristalsis is the contraction and relaxation of the muscles of the intestines creating wavelike
movements that push the ingested food through the digestive tract towards its release at
the anus

Chyme is the semi fluid mass of partly digested food that passes from the stomach to the
small intestines, consisting of gastric juices and partly digested food
PROCESS OF DIGESTION

MOUTH

Physical breakdown
This is the process in which your food is chewed, mixed with saliva and broken down into
smaller pieces.
Teeth – tear, rip, and grind food into pieces small enough to swallow
Tongue – pushes the food around the mouth and down the throat
Saliva – moistens food making it easy to swallow

Chemical breakdown
Protein – None
Fat – None
Carbohydrate this starts once the saliva is released and the enzyme salivary amylase starts
to break down the starch and dextrin into simple sugars (maltose).
N.B. – cooked starch is acted on more quickly than raw starch.

OESOPHAGUS

Food is transported down to the stomach by peristalsis.

STOMACH
Physical breakdown
The stomach walls churn (strong muscular waves or contraction and relaxation of the
muscles) [peristalsis]. This movement helps to further breakdown food and mix it with
mucus and gastric juices (produced by the stomach) that contain hydrochloric acid that kills
the bacteria. Food remains in the stomach for 2-5 hours. The broken down food is referred
to as chyme.

Chemical breakdown

Protein – Pepsin starts the breakdown of protein into smaller chain of amino acids called
peptides.
Rennin clots milk so the pepsin can act on it more efficiently.
Fat – None
Carbohydrate – Hydrochloric acid produced by the stomach, stops the action of salivary
amylase, and helps pepsin to work. It also kills bacteria.
SMALL INTESTINE:

Physical digestion
Food passes through the first part of the small intestines called the duodenum peristalsis
continues (the churning of the stomach walls/strong muscular waves or contraction and
relaxation of the muscles) to move the food along.

Chemical digestion in the small intestine

Pancreatic juice from the pancreas
Bile from the liver which forms an emulsion with fats, making them easier to digest
Intestinal juice which is produced by the lining of the intestine make up digestive juices.
The enzymes in the digestive juices change:

Protein – and peptides into amino acids

Fat – fats into fatty acids and glycerol
Carbohydrates – sugars into simple sugars, such as glucose

It is at this point that absorption takes place. The intestines contain small hair-like or finger-
like projections called villi. The nutrients are absorbed into the walls of the small intestines
through the villi into the blood stream. (While all other nutrients go directly into the blood,
fats first pass through the lymph system). The digested nutrients provide energy and make
new cells.

The remainder makes its way to the large intestine/colon/bowel.

LARGE INTESTINE/COLON/BOWEL
Most of the nutrients have been absorbed by the time food reaches the large intestine, the
food is quite liquid. At this stage water is reabsorbed into the blood stream (this prevents
dehydration) leaving the solid waste food (faeces). This action produces/manufactures
vitamins B and K. The faeces are pushed through the intestine by peristalsis and eliminated
from the body through the rectum. If there is sufficient absorption, infections occur and the
result is diarrhea.
 Summary

Mouth Teeth break down food, mixes it with saliva.

Salivary amylase changes the starch and dextrin to maltose.
Stomach Food is churned into chyme.
Pepsin starts the breakdown of protein into smaller chains of amino
acids called peptides. Renin clots milk so that pepsin can change it to
peptides.
Gastric lipase hydrolyses some of the triglycerides (as in butter) into
fatty acids and glycerol.
Hydrochloric acid kills bacteria and inhibits/stops the action of salivary
amylase. No further chemical change takes place in the stomach.
Carbohydrates is mixed mechanically with the stomach contents.
Small Intestines Trypsin continues the breakdown of proteins to peptones. Erypsin
converts the peptones to amino acids to complete protein digestion.
Bile emulsifies fats to disperse them in the liquid in small droplets.
Pancreatic lipase breaks fat into soluble glycerol and insoluble fatty
acids. The fatty acids react with the bile to become soluble. Lipase
breaks down the remaining fat to glycerol and fatty acids.
Carbohydrates digestion resumes where the pancreatic amylase breaks
down the undigested starch to maltose. Maltase then changes maltose
to glucose. The enzyme sucrase changes sucrose to glucose and
fructose. Lactase changes lactose to glucose and galactose. SUGARS
ARE CHANGED TO GLUCOSE.
Absorption Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream to be used for energy and
new cells.
Large Intestine Water is reabsorbed.
Vitamins B and K are manufactured.