Ch. 5 Food and Digestion
Terms
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- pancreas
- A triangular organ that produces enzymes that flow into the small intestine.
- large intestine
- The last section of the digestive system, where water is absorbed from food and the remaining material is eliminated from the body.
- rectum
- A short tube at the end of the large intestine where waste material is compressed into solid form before being eliminated.
- anus
- A muscular opening at the end of the rectum through which digestive waste material is eliminated from the body.
- fat
- High-energy nutrients that are composed of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen and that contain more than twice as much energy as an equal amount of carbohydrates.
- fiber
- A complex carbohydrate, found in plant foods, that cannot be broken down into sugar molecules by the body.
- proteins
- Nutrients that contain nitrogen as well as carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; they are needed for tissue growth and repair and play a part in chemical reactions within cells; also large organic molecules made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sometimes sulfur; also polymers of amino acids.
- unsaturated fats
- Fats, such as olive oil and canola oil, that are usually liquid at room temperature.
- villi
- Tiny finger-shaped structures that cover the inner surface of the small intestine and provide a large surface area through which nutrients from digested food are absorbed.
- esophagus
- A muscular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.
- peristalsis
- Involuntary waves of muscle contraction that keep food moving along in one direction through the digestive system.
- liver
- The largest and heaviest organ inside the body; it breaks down substances and eliminates nitrogen from the body.
- bile
- A substance produced by the liver that breaks up fat particles.
- gall bladder
- The organ that stores bile after it is produced by the liver.
- nutrient
- A substance in food that provides energy or raw materials for the body to grow, repair worn parts, or function properly.
- calorie
- The amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one Celsius degree.
- carbohydrates
- Energy-rich organic compounds, such as sugars and starches, that are made of the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; they are a major source of energy and provide the raw materials to make parts of cells.
- saturated fat
- Fats, such as butter, that are usually solid at room temperature.
- cholesterol
- A waxy, fatlike substance, found only in animal products, that is an important part of your body's cells; can build up on artery walls.
- vitamin
- An organic compound that serves as a helper molecule in a variety of chemical reactions in the body.
- minerals
- Nutrient elements that are needed by the body in small amounts and that are not made by living things.
- Food Guide Pyramid
- A diagram developed by nutritionists to help people plan an healthy diet.
- Percent Daily Value
- A value on the nutritional fact label of a food that indicates how the nutritional content of one serving fits into the diet of a person who consumes 2,000 Calories a day.
- digestion
- The process by which the body breaks down food into small nutrient molecules.
- absorption
- The process by which nutrient molecules pass through the wall of the digestive system into the blood.
- saliva
- The fluid released when the mouth waters that plays an important role in both mechanical and chemical digestion.
- enzyme
- A type of protein that speeds up a chemical reaction in a living thing.
- epiglottis
- A flap of tissue that seals off the windpipe and prevents food from entering it.
- mucus
- A thick, slippery substance produced by the body.
- amino acids
- Small molecules that are linked together chemically to form large protein molecules; also, 20 kinds of organic compounds that are monomers of proteins.
- small intestine
- The part of the digestive system in which most chemical digestion takes place.
- stomach
- a J-shaped, muscular pouch located in the abdomon that expands to hold all of the food swallowed.
- glucose
- a sugar that is the major source of energy for the body's cells, also a monomer of many complex carbohydrates.