BIO 156

Chapter 5
An Introduction to Nutrition
• A healthy diet
consists of:
– Breads, cereals,
rice, and pasta.
– Plenty of fruits
and vegetables
– Meat and milk
products. but in
lesser amounts.
– Minimal fat
Macronutrients are needed in large quantity and include water,
carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins.

Water
– is involved in many chemical reactions in the body.
– helps maintain body temperature and a constant level of
nutrients and wastes in body fluids.

Carbohydrates
– are a major source energy
– belong to three groups:
• monosaccharides, disaccharides, and
polysaccharides
Lipids
– are a source of energy but also play a structural role
• Triglycerides (fats and oil) provide energy and
insulation.
• Phospholipids and steroids are part of the plasma
membranes of cells.
– Triglycerides with many double bonds in their fatty acid
side chains (the polyunsaturated fatty acids) lower one’s
risk of developing atherosclerosis.
– Triglycerides high in saturated fatty acids, found in
animal fats, tend to increase atherosclerosis.
Amino Acids and Protein.
– Proteins in food are broken down to amino acids which
are used to make proteins such as enzymes and
hormones.
– Amino acids the body cannot synthesize are known as
essential amino acids.
– Amino acids the body can synthesize are known as
nonessential amino acids.
Choices
The Digestive System
Physical breakdown of food occurs in the mouth
– Chewing breaks food into smaller pieces
– Saliva performs at least five functions:
• liquefies the food
• kills or neutralizes some bacteria
• dissolves substances so they can be tasted
• begins to break down starch molecules
• cleanses the teeth
• Teeth must be kept clean to prevent plaque and cavities.
– Each tooth consists of:
• enamel—the hard outer layer
• dentin—a softer layer
• pulp—the inner region filled with nerves and blood
vessels
– Bacteria that live on the teeth secrete a sticky, acidic
material called plaque.
• The tongue plays a key role in swallowing.
– The tongue pushes food to the back of the oral
cavity into the pharynx.
– The tongue contains taste receptors on its upper
surface.
The epiglottis keeps
food from entering the
trachea.
– Food entering the
pharynx triggers
the swallowing
reflex, which
forces the food
into the
esophagus.
The esophagus transports food to the stomach via
peristalsis
• The stomach stores food, releasing it into the small
intestine in spurts.
– Gastric glands in the stomach produce
• hydrochloric acid
• Pepsinogen
– The food is turned into chyme before it is
released.
• Chyme leaves the stomach and enters the small intestine.
– The stomach contents are emptied in 2–6 hours.
– As chyme and protein leave the stomach, gastric gland
secretion declines.

• The small intestine serves as a site of food digestion and

absorption.
– The small intestine consists of three parts:
• the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.
Digestion in the small intestine requires enzymes from
two sources.
– the lining of the intestine
– the pancreas
• produces enzymes and sodium bicarbonate essential
for the digestion.
• The digestive enzymes of the pancreas flow into the
duodenum.
The liver carries out hundreds of important functions.
– The liver stores minerals, vitamins, glucose, and lipids
– The liver produces an emulsifying agent, bile, which
plays a key role in the digestion of fat.
– Bile is transported to the gallbladder until it is needed
The intestinal epithelium, the
lining of the intestine, is
specially modified for
absorption.
– The lining of the small
intestine is folded.
– On the surfaces of the
folds are fingerlike
projections known as
villi and microvilli.
– The microvilli are the
tiny hairlike projections
found on the villi
themselves.
The large intestine is the site of water resorption.
– It consists of four regions:
• the cecum, appendix, colon, and rectum
– It also absorbs sodium and potassium as well as
vitamins produced by intestinal bacteria.
– It transports the waste, or feces, to the outside of the
body.
Choices
End of Chapter 5