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Animal nutrition, digestion and absorption

Organisation in animals and plants · Lesson 1 of 5

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Lesson 1 of 5 · Organisation in animals and plants

Animal nutrition, digestion and absorption

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Describe the main components of a balanced diet, including carbohydrate, lipid, protein, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water, and explain their functions in the body.
Explain the causes and effects of malnutrition, including undernutrition, obesity and deficiency diseases caused by lack of specific nutrients.

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Identify the organs of the alimentary canal and associated glands, and explain the roles of the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, small intestine and large intestine in digestion.

Explain mechanical and chemical digestion, including the action of carbohydrase, protease and lipase enzymes, the role of bile in neutralising stomach acid and emulsifying lipids, and the importance of the conditions needed for enzyme action.

Apply knowledge of digestion to explain how large insoluble food molecules are broken down into small soluble molecules that can be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Explain how the small intestine is adapted for efficient absorption, including villi, microvilli, large surface area, thin surface, blood supply and transport of absorbed products.

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