The digestion of different types of nutrients in the body is facilitated by various enzymes and substances. Bile juice, produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, plays a crucial role in the digestion of lipids.
Let's break this down into key points:
- Production and Storage: Bile is produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder.
- Release: When fatty foods enter the small intestine, bile is released into the duodenum.
- Function: Bile contains bile salts that emulsify fats, breaking them down into smaller droplets, which increases the surface area for the enzyme lipase to act upon. This process is critical for the efficient digestion and absorption of dietary fats.
- Not Involved in Other Digestions: Bile juice does not directly digest proteins or carbohydrates (such as starch). Enzymes like pepsin (for proteins) and amylase (for starch) are responsible for these processes.
Therefore, bile juice helps in the digestion of lipids.