Brandi Locke

Nutrition 011: Understanding Macronutrients

Carbohydrate Flow Chart

Digestion of carbohydrates begins in the mouth as salivary amylase
breaks starch into smaller sugars called disaccharides. Chewing a saliva
turn the food into a bolus that is pushed down the esophagus into the
stomach.





No digestion of carbs occur in the stomach, and any that began with
the salivary amylase stops once it reaches the stomach acidic
environment.












Digestion occurs primarily in the small intestine,
where pancreatic amylase is secreted into the
small intestine break starch down into
disaccharides, like maltose. Other enzymes
break the disaccharides down into
monosaccharides, which can now be absorbed.
Once absorbed they enter the bloodstream and
are sent to the liver to be turned into glucose
and sent around the body to be used as fuel.
Excess sugar is stored in the liver as glycogen.





The Large intestine contains some bacteria that break down some undigested
starches, but the rest, including any cellulose fiber, passes through the intestine and
is expelled.



Fats Flow Chart

Little to no digestion of fats occur in the mouth, except for some larger
fats called triglycerides, by lingual lipase made and secreted by salivary
glands.






Gastric lipase in the stomach breaks down triglycerides into fat
droplets. Hormone signals the gallbladder to secrete bile into the
small intestine.







The small intestine digestion involves bile breaking fat into smaller
droplets, and enzymes (secreted by the pancreas) breaking lipids down
into fatty acids and the smallest components of phospholipids. The lipid
components are transported to the enterocytes that line the small
intestine and are absorbed. They are later transported to mucosal cells to
be reassembled and transported to be used as energy, or stored in
muscle tissue.
Protein Flow Chart


The mouth chews proteins, physically breaking down food, and
sending it down the esophagus to the stomach.





Hydrocloric acid in the stomach breaks denatures protein,
breaking down their structures and functions. Then pepsin breaks
down the polypeptides into smaller units, such as amino acids. It
is then sent to the small intestine.






Digestion of proteins is completed in the small intestine as
polypeptides are further broken down.






From the small intestine, amino acids are sent to the liver,
which then distributes them all over the body to be used for a
multitude of purposes.



Digestion and Absorption of Macronutrients Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins

The macronutrients carbohydrates, fats and protein are all broken down, digested and
absorbed or excreted by our gastro-intestinal tract, starting with the mouth and esophagus,
followed by the stomach, small intestine and large intestine. A few other organs, like the
pancreas, gallbladder and liver assist, as do several sphincters that help push broken down food
farther down the system and prevent it from moving backwards. Ultimately this system makes
food of source of energy by turning it into smaller units that our body can use to rebuild itself or
fuel itself.
Carbohydrate digestion begins in the mouth, where salivary amylase breaks complex
starch down into disaccharides, like maltose. However, little digestion happens in the mouth, it is
mostly physically chewing and turning the food into a bolus, or softened ball of food that can be
swallowed. The food goes down the esophagus and deposits into the stomach. Once it reaches
the stomach digestion stops because the acidity of the stomach stops digestions carried out by
salivary amylase in that organ. Next the food enters the small intestine, where pancreatic amylase
is secreted into the organ further break starch into maltose, and other enzymes like sucrose and
lactase break the disaccharides down into monosaccharides. As monosaccharides it can be
absorbed through the enterocytes of the mucosal lining the small intestine, and enter the
bloodstream. The monosaccharaides are transported to the liver through the bloodstream, where
they are turned into glucose. Glucose is transported around the body to cells for fuel, and any
excess glucose is stored in the liver in the form of glycogen. Fiber and any undigested starch are
broken down some more by bacteria in the large intestine, but some will be expelled as feces. An
important disease associated with carbohydrate intake is diabetes, in which our body cannot
produce enough insulin, the hormone that signals to the bloodstream that it has too much glucose
and needs convert it and store it. It can be genetically inherited or brought on by unhealthy eating
habits, and is a serious but manageable condition that is prevalent in America and is increasingly
occurring among our population.
Fat digestion does not occur very much in the mouth, although lingual lipase secreted by
the salivary glands does start the process. Once transported to the stomach, the fats are broken
down into droplets and gastric lipase, like the lingual lipase, begins to break down large
triglycerides as it is sent to the small intestine. The gallbladder secretes bile into the small
intestine and emulsifies the fat, while enzymes from the pancreas break down large triglycerides
into small, absorbable fatty acids and phospholipids. These fat components are transported
through the small intestine wall for absorption, and sent around the body to be used as fuel or
stored in muscles. Cardiovascular disease is a serious condition tied to fat intake because of the
effects of fat deposits and plaque building up inside arteries and blocking blood flow around the
body. Learning to make smart choice about what kinds of fats to consume is an important way to
prevent heart disease and associated risks, like strokes and heart attacks.
Lastly, protein digestion begins in the mouth where food is physically broken down and
softened so as to be swallowed and deposited into the stomach. Hydrochloric acid in the stomach
denatures the protein, dismantling its structure and functions. Pepsin is also present to help
breakdown large polypeptides into smaller amino acids, and then the food is sent to the small
intestine. Once in the small intestine the process of breaking down polypeptides is completed and
the amino acids are absorbed through the mucosal lining of the small intestine and into the
bloodstream. They head to the liver, and then are sent all around the body to be used as build
blocks for repairing our own cells, or for fuel. Cultural differences that result in varying diets
necessitate a good understanding of proper protein intake. For example, vegans and vegetarians,
like myself, learn to be conscious of where we choose to get out amino acids, and what sources
combine to provide a complete protein source, like the combination of brown rice and beans. We
must also be conscious of how we feel, trying to be aware of whether or not we have provided
ourselves with enough protein, however studies suggest vegans and vegetarians often consume
too much protein, like omnivores do.