Enzymes and Digestion

All the food in the world is of no use if the human body does not have the ability to extract necessary nutrients from it. With this activity, students will be able to expose three nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids) to different digestive enzymes. These samples will be compared to nutrients to which no enzymes are added and chemical tests will be used to determine if the enzymes were effective in digesting the compounds. Upon completion, students will not only understand the importance of the digestive system but also the vital role enzymes play in releasing nutrients from food and converting them to a form usable by the body.