ABSTRACT

The muscles work, the heart rate increases, the breathing quickens, and the nervous system is working at its peak. All these processes require energy. The body has two different systems for storing excess energy. Carbohydrates are stored in the form of glycogen; both in the liver and directly in the muscles themselves. The body can extract energy directly from the digested food, or from its stored energy reserves. In both cases, energy is provided according to the same pattern. Energy is created by dividing the complex nutrients from ingested or stored food into smaller and smaller building blocks — a process also called 'oxidation'. The body can extract energy directly from the digested food, or from its stored energy reserves. The process of digestion begins with the first bite. The goal in the mouth is to break down the food into the smallest possible chunks in order to facilitate the work of the stomach and intestines.