How are fats digested in our bodies? Where does this process take place?
Answer:
- Fat digestion takes place in the small intestine.
- The alkaline secretion of the liver, bile, is carried to the small intestine by the bile duct.
- The process starts with emulsification (break down) of large fat globules by the salt of bile into smaller micelles to facilitate further enzymatic reaction and digestion process.
- The fat-digesting lipase enzyme in pancreatic juice and intestinal juices digest the fat in micelles into triacylglycerols and then fatty acids and glycerol.
- These fat digestion products are then absorbed by the intestinal mucosa and are carried to tissues by the lymphatic system and blood where they either serve as energy fuel or are stored after re-esterification.