Why Do Foods Need To Be Broken Down. The cells in turn provide energy via the mitochondria for us to live. Saliva moistens and lubricates the food allowing it to be worked into a small ball.
Once the food gets to the stomach the food is. Physical - digestion occurs in the mouth where the teeth break up the food into smaller pieces. Digestion Prior to absorbing most of the components in your food you must break down large molecules into smaller ones that can be taken into the bloodstream.
The function of the digestive system is to take food into your body break it down into individual macronutrients proteins fats and carbohydrates and micronutrients vitamins and minerals and then absorb those small bits and pieces of nutrients so the rest of your body can use them as fuel and raw materials for building tissues and structures.
Food and drink must be changed into smaller molecules of nutrients before the blood absorbs them and carries them to cells throughout the body. However some foods you eat contain macronutrients such as sugars and amino acids already small enough without requiring digestion. When you eat starchy foods the starches are broken down into sugars including glucose maltotriose and maltose by an enzyme called amylase found in your saliva and small intestine. Chewing is an essential part of digestion.
