Why are enzymes important to the digestive system?

Answer 1

if we didn't have enzymes as part of our digestive system, digestion would take a lot longer. Enzymes break food down into smaller pieces after mechanical digestion so that chemical digestion can work on smaller pieces of food. different types of enzymes break down different types of food substances. Amylase breaks down starches into simple sugars. Protease breaks down protein and there is one that breaks down fats and oils but i cant think of its name. hope i helped :)

Answer 2

Because the major fuel molecules (carbohydrate, fat, protein) in foods are too big to be absorbed, and hence must first be broken down into their small subunits (single sugars, fatty acids, amino acids) . If we had no digestive enzymes, the large molecules would come out the other end and be flushed down the toilet!

Answer 3

So it can cut down the food. They are like scissors that cut it down (but they are not shaped like scissors)!

Here are more details:

We need nutrients that are not in foods. Enzymes and Bacteria actually make them from the food in your intestine. Many amino acids and a number of B vitamins are "created in your gut by these enzymes. Enzymes also break down the food so you can absorb it. It has also been found that the will break down "bad" molecules so you can get rid of it harmlessly. If you have gas, digestive problems feel weak or full or tired after eating you probably need to add enzymes to your diet. Today food is to processed and is very much lacking in these enzymes. There is benefits to eating "dirt". It contains these Enzymes you need. Back in the farm days people just ate the food with little scrubbing so they got more of them. Some food Allergies are do to not being able to break down the molecules in these foods, in the gut so it is absorbed as is and cause problems, gluten is one of them.

Plant eaters, horses, cows, goats etc have a very complex set of stomachs (4), with Bacteria, Enzymes and protozoa to break down and create amino acids out of nutritional useless grass and hay.

Answer 4

Enzymes are molecules responsible for metabolic processes that sustain life. They are important to the digestive system because they accelerate both the rate and specificity of digestion.

Answer 5

Enzymes make up digestive juices. If your enzymes drop, your digestive juices drop causing you to get gassy.

Answer 6

Because enzymes are proteins that act as biological catalyts. Enzymes speed up chemical reactions that take place in cells.

Answer 7

it is a hydrocloric acid which helps to digest the food