Question

Describe the process of assimilation of food.

Answer 1

The blood and lymph absorb the digested food from the villi of the small intestine and pass them to the tissues of the body. These tissue use the food for the production of energy and this process is called assimilation. It can be described as follows:

1. Assimilation of proteins- Amino acids are absorbed and are used for building the proteins required by the cells of the body. Excess amino acids are converted into glucose in the liver. This process results in the formation of ammonia which is converted into urea and excreted out of the body.
2. Assimilation of glucose- Glucose is actively absorbed and is used as a primary source of energy. Excess glucose is stored in the form of glycogen by the liver. Glucose is also converted to fats and stored in adipose tissue.
3. Assimilation of fats- Fatty acids are absorbed by the lymph and are stored in the adipose tissue. These are converted to glucose during fasting and exercises.