The Chemistry of Digestion

Food digestion requires different chemical reactions.  These start working as soon as you start to eat or drink.

The chemicals involved reduce the food to blocks of nutrients for absorption for use by the body. Every piece of food we eat is composed of fats, carbohydrates (also known as starches) and proteins. These are known as Macronutrients.

Each macronutrient must be broken down into their relative chemical compound in order for the body to use them. For example:

Bread is carbohydrate and by the time it reaches your muscles as energy it has been chewed, churned, liquefied and the starch changed to useable glucose.

All the organs of the digestive system have been used to process a piece of bread into energy.  Have a look at The SmallerKnickers Digestion film for a visual image.

More information is available for our Workshop attendees.