diff --git a/education/nutrition/Digestive System.md b/education/nutrition/Digestive System.md index abf125b..c1c81c7 100644 --- a/education/nutrition/Digestive System.md +++ b/education/nutrition/Digestive System.md @@ -27,4 +27,13 @@ There are 3 main sphincters associated with digestion: 1. Gastroesophageal/lower esophageal/cardiac - connects the esophagus to the stomach 2. Pyloric - connects the stomach to the duodenum (small intestine) 3. ileocecal valve - Connects the small intestine to the large intestine -The upper esophageal sphincter is at the top of the esophagus (not as important). \ No newline at end of file +The upper esophageal sphincter is at the top of the esophagus (not as important). + +# Digestion +**Mechanical digestion refers to the physical treatment that food undergoes** while it is in the intestinal tract + +Chemical digestion refers to the breakdown of large molecules in food into smaller components, primarily by the action of **enzymes**. +- Enzymes are a protein that speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction without being altered in the process. +- Enzymes usually end in -ase and begin with the name of whatever they are working to digest: + - Amylase digests amylose + - Maltase digests maltose \ No newline at end of file