Content Objectives
Molecules, Food and the Elements[7]
The foods we eat are made up of atoms, the basic building blocks of matter. When atoms chemically bond together, they form molecules that determine the structure, texture, flavor, and nutritional value of food. The food we eat is a mix of these molecular structures, which is important for a healthy body. We need food to supply us with energy, materials for growth, repair tissues, and fight diseases to keep our body healthy.
Our body and most foods are composed primarily of four essential elements: carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), and nitrogen (N). Together, these elements form the major biological molecules (nutrients) that sustain life, including water, carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. Other elements, such as sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl), also play important roles in food chemistry.
Digestion breaks down nutrients using mechanical force to crush the food and chemical enzymes to split complex molecules into smaller units that our body can absorb. These chemical breakdowns happen in our mouth (teeth chewing food into smaller pieces), stomach (muscles churning and squeezing), and intestinal sloshing (liquid and gas moving together in the digestive tract).
Comments: