Explain the digestion of chapati in human beings. Draw a diagram depicting human alimentary canal.


i. Chapati is a complex carbohydrate. The digestion of carbohydrates begins in the mouth.


ii. The starch present is acted upon by salivary amylase (secreted by salivary glands) and is broken down to simpler sugars (e.g. maltose).


iii. It is then passed along the gut by peristaltic movements. It then reaches the stomach and gets mixed up with the gastric juices. But no digestion of carbohydrates occurs in stomach.


iv. The food is then passed into the small intestine, where major digestion of carbohydrates takes place.


v. The intestine receives enzymes from pancreas and liver. The pancreatic amylase further breaks downs the sugars into glucose to be absorbed easily. Thus, the digestion of chapati is completed.


vi. The diagram is given below:


14
1