Digestive enzymes

• Enzymes


  Essential for helping us break down the large molecules that we eat into the much smaller soluble molecules that we can absorb through our intestinal lining
• Main groups of nutrients to be broken down

  • Carbohydrates
  • Proteins
  • Fats
• Carbohydrates


  Found mainly in foods like pasta, potatoes and rice, used by the body mainly as an energy source
• Starch


  The main type of carbohydrate, broken down by the enzyme amylase into smaller sugars such as maltose
• Amylase


  1. Made in the salivary glands of the mouth

  2. Made in the pancreas

  3. Made in the small intestine

  4. Acts to break down starch
• Proteins

  Found in things like nuts, meats and beans, broken down by protease enzymes into amino acids
• Proteases

  1. Made in the stomach (called pepsin)

  2. Made in the pancreas

  3. Made in the small intestine

  4. Break down proteins into amino acids
• Fats/Lipids

  Found in foods like cheese, oils and chocolate, broken down by lipase enzymes into glycerol and fatty acids
• Lipases

  1. Made in the pancreas

  2. Made in the small intestine

  3. Break down fats/lipids into glycerol and fatty acids
• All digestive enzymes are made by the pancreas and the small intestine, with amylase also being made by the salivary glands and proteases also being made in the stomach