Enzymes and food
carbohydrateFood belonging to the food group consisting of sugars, starch and cellulose. Carbohydrates are vital for energy in humans and are stored as fat if eaten in excess. In plants, carbohydrates are important for photosynthesis., proteinOrganic compound made up of amino acid molecules. One of the three main food groups, proteins are needed by the body for cell growth and repair. and lipidFat or oils, composed of fatty acids and glycerol. are large molecules that are needed by the body for growth, repair and metabolismAll the chemical reactions in the cells of an organism, including respiration.. They are found in our food. These molecules are too large to pass from the intestine into the blood, so digestive enzymes break them down into smaller molecules. Once in the body, different enzymes use these raw materials to synthesiseTo construct a larger biological molecule from smaller ones. larger molecules.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates include glycogenThe storage form of glucose in animal cells., starch, sucroseA disaccharide made from glucose and fructose. It is used as table sugar. and glucoseA simple sugar used by cells for respiration..
The basic building block of a carbohydrate is a monosaccharide. This is simple sugar, such as glucose and fructose. Enzymes join monosaccharides together to form disaccharides (two monosaccharides) and polysaccharides (long chains of monosaccharides).
Carbohydrase enzymes break disaccharides and polysaccharides into monosaccharides (simple sugars). Carbohydrase enzymes are produced in your mouth (in saliva), pancreas and small intestine.
Proteins
Proteins are large molecules made from amino acidThe building blocks that make up a protein molecule. joined together to form chains. They include enzymeA protein which catalyses or speeds up a chemical reaction., haemoglobinThe red protein found in red blood cells that transports oxygen round the body., collagenThe most common protein found in connective tissue of animals. and keratinA fibrous protein found in hair and fur.. Each protein has hundreds, or even thousands, of amino acids joined together in a unique sequence and folded into the correct shape. This gives each protein its own individual properties.
Protease enzymes are responsible for breaking down proteins in our food into amino acids. Then different enzymes join amino acids together to form new proteins needed by the body for growth and repair. Protease enzymes are produced in your stomach, pancreas and small intestine.
Lipids
Lipids are fatsNaturally occurring compounds of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They are esters made from fatty acids and glycerol. and oilsNatural substances produced from the reaction of glycerol with fatty acids.. Lipids are large molecules made from smaller units of fatty acids and glycerolA soluble carbohydrate which is coverted into glucose by the liver..
Digestive enzymes such as lipase break down lipids in the diet into fatty acids and glycerol. Lipase enzymes are produced in your pancreas and small intestine.