Transcription
Welcome to MooMooMath and Science. In this video, I will look at the movement of food through the digestive system and the enzymes along the way.
Enzymes are essential for digestion because they help speeds up the chemical reaction. One way an enzyme speeds up a chemical reaction is by reducing the amount of energy needed to start the reaction.
As the food moves along the digestive system, enzymes are added along the way. In the mouth or oral cavity, salivary glands help start digestion. Lipase is secreted that helps break down lipids, and amylase is secreted, and this helps break down carbohydrates.
From the mouth, the food travels down the esophagus and into the stomach. In the stomach, several enzymes are secreted. Pepsin is the main enzyme in the stomach. Pepsin breaks down the protein in the food into smaller particles. Protein digestion, therefore, first starts in the stomach, and carbohydrate and lipids, which start their digestion in the mouth.
As food exits the stomach, it enters the first portion of the small intestine called the duodenum. The pancreatic duct is located here and releases enzymes produced by the pancreas. This pancreatic juice is a combination of at least 7 different enzymes. This pancreatic juice breaks down proteins, glycogen, and starch.
Finally, as food travels into the small intestine, additional enzymes are added. Enzymes whose function is to further break down the chyme released from the stomach. You will find the following enzymes in the small intestine. Lactase is a significant enzyme that breaks down lactose that is found in many dairy products. If you are lactose intolerant, you either lack this enzyme or have a reduced amount.
So there we go. The flow of food and the enzymes that help you break down your food. Thanks for watching, and MooMooMath and Science uploads a new math and science video every day. Please subscribe and share.