Metabolism
Jan 11th, 2008 by Susan
It’s all part of a complicated but fascinating process called metabolism. That’s the name for all the physical and chemical processes that help your body use food to keep you alive. It starts with digestion, in which your stomach and intestines break down the food you’ve eaten into nutrients your body can use. These are your old friends - proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. They are assimilated, or absorbed, into the bloodstream during the process of metabolism.
In the bloodstream, these nutrients travel around the body to do their different jobs. Then the glucose made from the food you eat will be combined with oxygen in the body cells to produce the energy you need quickly. If you eat the amounts and kinds of foods your body needs, your energy needs will be meet by carbohydrates and fats. Amino acids (broken-down proteins) will be used for growth and for the repair of worn-out cells. If you aren’t eating enough carbohydrates and fats, your body will use protein for energy needs. This means that the protein can’t be used for building or repairing body cells.
