Digestive enzymes

• Why do biological molecules in food have to be digested?

  Most biological molecules, like starch, proteins, and lipids, are too large to be absorbed by our villi and into our bodies. This means they need to be broken down into smaller molecules first.
• What type of biological molecule do we use to break down large food molecules?

  Enzymes.
• What is the main carbohydrate that we eat?

  Starch.
• What is starch?

  A polymer of glucose made by plants.
• Which enzyme breaks down starch? What is it broken into?

  Starch is broken down by the enzyme amylase into maltose molecules.
• Which organs in the body produce amylose?

  Salivary glands, pancreas, small intestine.
• Which enzyme breaks down maltose? What is it broken into?

  Maltose is broken down my maltase into two glucose molecules.
• What is a protein?

  A polymer of amino acids.
• What type of enzymes break down proteins?

  Proteins are broken down by a group of enzymes called proteases, for example - trypsin and pepsin.
• What are proteins broken down into?

  Amino acids.
• Which organs in the body produce protease enzymes?

  Stomach, pancreas, small intestines.
• Which enzyme breaks down lipids?

  Lipase enzymes.
• What are lipids broken down into?

  Glycerol and fatty acids.
• Which organs in the body produce lipase enzymes?

  Small intestines and pancreas.
• What is bile and how does it help with lipid digestion?

  Bile is a yellow-greenish liquid released from the gall bladder. It emulsifies lipids, which increases the surface area for lipase enzymes to break them down.