enzymes and nutrition

• digestive enzymes turn the large molecules in our food into the smaller subunits they are made of. the digestive molecules are then small enough to be absorbed by the small intestine
• large molecules such as complex carbohydrates, proteins and lipids are built from smaller molecules
• which small molecules make up the following large molecules: a) carbs. b) proteins, c) lipids


  a - glucose

  b - amino acids

  c -fatty acids and glycerol

  
• when you chew a piece of bread for a while it starts to taste sweet. suggest a reason for this

  the amylase in saliva interacts with the starch in the bread, breaking it down to produce simple sugars / glucose
• once the small molecules are absorbed into the body, they can be used to build the larger molecules that are needed in cells and tissues.
• building larger molecules from smaller subunits is known as synthesis.
• complex carbohydrates and proteins are both polymers because they are made up of many similar small molecules, or monomers, joined in a chain
• the breakdown of large molecules happens incredibly slowly and only if the bonds between the smaller subunits have enough energy to break
• synthesis happens very slowly, since the subunits rarely collide with enough force or in the right orientation to form a bond. these reactions happen much too slowly to supply all that the body needs to stay alive and be active
• many reactions can be sped up using a catalyst.
• in living organisms the catalysts that speed up breakdown - eg digestion. and synthesis reactions are enzymes.
• enzymes are biological catalysts that increase the rate of reactions. the substances that the enzymes work on are called substrates, and the substances that are produced are called products
• enzymes

  
• what are enzymes made out of?

  proteins made of twisting and folding amino acids
• what do enzymes do? speed up chemical reactions in the body
• why are enzymes important for life?

  they speed up chemical reactions in the human body
• which type of smaller molecule are enzymes built from?

  Proteins / amino acids
• explain why the role of enzymes as catalysts in digestion is important for life 


  Enzymes play a crucial role in digestion by breaking down large molecules of food into smaller, more manageable molecules that the body can absorb and use for energy. Different enzymes are responsible for breaking down different types of food, such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.