Digestion definitions Flashcards

The process by which food is broken down into smaller components, both mechanically and chemically, to allow for the absorption of nutrients and the elimination of waste.

Essential compounds organisms need for growth, energy, and cellular functions, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids, which must be obtained from the diet as they cannot be synthesized.

Organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, serving as a primary energy source and structural component in cells, broken down into simple sugars during digestion.

Molecules composed of amino acids that perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalyzing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, responding to stimuli, and transporting molecules.

Nutrients that organisms cannot synthesize and must obtain from their diet, including certain amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids, essential for normal body functions and health.

Organic compounds that serve as the building blocks of proteins, each containing an amino group, a carboxyl group, and a unique side chain. Essential types must be obtained through diet.

Organic compounds required in small amounts for various bodily functions, often serving as coenzymes essential for enzyme activity and metabolic processes.

Mineral ions crucial for maintaining osmotic balance, conducting nerve signals, and muscle function in the body.

Essential fatty acids with a double bond at the third carbon from the end of the carbon chain, crucial for brain function, inflammation regulation, and must be obtained through diet.

A type of essential fatty acid with a double bond at the sixth carbon from the end of the carbon chain, commonly found in animal fats and linked to dietary balance issues.

The process by which nutrients from digested food are taken up by the cells lining the small intestine and then transported into the bloodstream for use by the body.

A long, coiled tube where most digestion and nutrient absorption occur, featuring villi and microvilli to maximize surface area for efficient nutrient uptake.