How do carbohydrates, proteins and fats get digested in human beings?
An enzyme called salivary amylase is present in the saliva produced in the mouth. Salivary amylase helps in the breakdown of carbohydrates into maltose in the mouth. The proteins get digested initially by the pepsin enzyme in the stomach and then by the enzymes present in the pancreatic juice secreted into the small intestine. The fats are broken down into small globules by the bile salts present in the bile juice secreted into the small intestine. This helps in increasing the efficiency of fat digesting enzymes. The intestinal juice secreted by the walls of the small intestine help to complete the digestion of carbohydrates into glucose/monosaccharide, digestion of proteins into amino acids and the digestion of fats into fatty acids and glycerol.
