Question

You just ate Thanksgiving Dinner. . . turkey, gravy, and mashed potatoes. Discuss what happens to each food type in different regions of the digestive system as it is being digested.

Answer 1

Turkey meat is a rich source of protein, amino acid, vitaminsand some amount of fats, while potato contain carbohydrates,moderate amount of protein and fibers

Carbohydrates,The mechanical and chemical digestion of carbohydrates begins in the mouth, the chewing and mastication breaks down carbohydrates in the food into smaller particles,  The salivary enzyme amylase present in the mouth begins the breakdown of food starches into maltose, a disaccharide.only about 5% of starches are broken down in this region, than the food (bolus) moves into the stomach, in this region no major digestion happens because of the acidic enviornment prevailing here makes most of the enzyme inactive, the strong peristaltic contractions of the stomach mix the carbohydrates into the more uniform mixture of chyme. from here food or chyme moves into the small intestine, the chyme from the stomach enters the duodenum which is part of small intestine and mixes with the digestive secretion from the pancreas, liver, and gallbladder. Pancreatic juices also contain amylase, which continues the breakdown of starch and glycogen into maltose, a disaccharide. The disaccharides are broken down into monosaccharides by enzymes called maltases sucrases, and lactases, which are also present in the brush border of the small intestinal wall.Maltase breaks down maltose into glucose. Other disaccharides, such as sucrose and lactose are broken down by sucrase and lactase, respectively. Finaly the carbohydrates are converted into glucose, which are than absorbed into the blood stream. once glucose is absorbed into the blood stream, pancreas release insulin which acts on glucose to be absorbed into the cells where they are used as source of energy, any remaining glucose is converted into glycogen by the liver cells and stored in liver to be released when the body needs them, some amount of glucose is stored in skeletal muscles and adipose tissues.

Protein digestion begin in mouth due to the chewing action, Once a protein source reaches your stomach, hydrochloric acid and enzymes called proteases break it down into smaller chains of amino acids. Amino acids are joined together by peptides, which are broken by proteases.the chyme than moves into the small intestine, where the majority of protein digestion occurs. The pancreas secretes digestive juice that contains more enzymes that further break down the protein fragments. The two major pancreatic enzymes that digest proteins are chymotrypsin and trypsin. The cells that line the small intestine release additional enzymes that finally break apart the smaller protein fragments into the individual amino acid. Very little protein makes it to the large intestine,  The amino acids are absorbed into the bloodstream through the small intestines.

Lipids, small quantity of lipids digestion begins in the stomach with the aid of lingual lipase and gastric lipase, however majority of .Lipids, or fat, go undigested in your digestive tract until they reach your small intestine, the bulk of lipid digetion happens here with  the release of bile, which is produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Bile aids in the digestion of lipids, primarily triglycerides by emulsification.The enzymes of the small intestine are responsible for almost all of the fat digestion. When pancreatic lipase acts on the lipid, it breaks it down, which results in free fatty acids and monoglycerides, the two digestive products of lipids. Absorption of lipid takes place through the mucosal lining of the small intestine, and when these products pass through the mucosa, they enter the epithelial cells Chylomicrons are formed in the intestinal cells and carry lipids from the digestive tract into circulation.

Vitamin, Fat soluble vitamins are absorbed in the same manner as lipids while.water-soluble vitamins can be directly absorbed into the bloodstream from the intestine

Fibers,Unlike other food components, such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates which your body breaks down and absorbs, fiber isn't digested by your body. Instead, it passes relatively intact through your stomach, small intestine and colon and out of your body