Digestive System Flashcards
What is the digestive system responsible for?
Intake, breakdown, use and removal of food and drink
What are the four stages of digestion?
Ingestion: food entering the body through the mouth and being chewed
Digestion: breaking down of food through mechanical and chemical processes
Absorption: the passing of food into the blood stream to be used by the body’s tissues
Elimination: the removal of waste
How long does it take for the foods journey through the alimentary canal?
24 hours
What distance does it cover from ingestion through the mouth to excretion through the anus?
9m
30 feet
What does the mouth do for digestion
Entry point of food and where it begins to be broken down through the process of mastication
What does the oesophagus gullet do for digestion
Thick walled muscular tube that carries broken down food from the mouth to the stomach
What does the stomach do for digestion
Muscular bag located at the left side of the upper abdomen. Breaks down food further by releasing enzymes and also kills bacteria
What does the small intensitine do for digestion?
Small tightly folded tube that receives food from the stomach. It digests the food and absorbs nutrients into the blood stream to be passed to the bodies tissues for energy.
What are the sections of the small intestine
Duodenum
Jejunum
Ileum
What size is the small intestine?
Size of an adults middle finger but if stretched out about 22 feet
What does the large intestine do for digestion
Absorbs water and vitamins from food residue and forms and stores faeces ready for excretion
What is the large intestine made up of?
Colon and the rectum
What are enzymes and their role in digestion?
Biological catalysts
Speed up the process of nutrients being broken down in the digestive tract and absorbed into the blood stream for use
What are the enzymes of carbs?
Amylase
Sucrase
Maltese
Lactase
What are the enzymes of carbs broken down into and what are they used for
Glycogen
Glucose
Energy
What are the enzymes of fat
Lipase
What are the enzymes for fat broken down into and used for
Fatty acids
Glycerol
Energy
Insulation
What are the enzymes of protein
Pepsin
Peptidase
What are the enzymes of protein broken down into and used for
Peptide chains
Amino acids
Growth and repair of tissue
What is dietary fibre and where is it found
Complex carb that can’t be digested by the human body
Found in fruits, vegetables wholegrains and cereals
How many grams of fibre should an adult eat each day
30 grams
How does fibre help the gut
Ensuring the smooth and speedy passing of waste
Helping to increase good bacteria in the gut
Helping you feel fuller for longer and reducing snacking
How does the liver assist digestion
Bile secretion
Removal of nutrients from the blood for storage
Detoxifying harmful substances in the blood
Storage of vitamins and minerals
Removal of bacteria from the blood stream
What is the role of the pancreas in assisting digestion
Secreting digestive juice into the small intestine which contain the aforementioned enzymes in order to break down nutrients
