Lab 9: Digestion

Incubation tray with screen and test tubes.

Chapter 10

The focus of this week's lab is how humans digest carbohydrates, proteins and lipids (fats). In lab, each group places a small amount of each macronutrient into different test tubes, simulating different situations in the body.

Test tubes in holder, bottle of clear solution and china marker.

After a 60 minute incubation period, students analyze the tubes to discover which situation is optimal for digestion to occur. Each group presents their findings to the class.

Two clear glass bottles of bile.

Students are also asked to enter a 24 hour food log into SuperTracker to analyze their nutrient intake for that particular day and participate in a bile salt demonstration led by their teaching assistant.

Topics to Review Before Lab:

  • 3 primary sources of energy (carbohydrates, lipids and proteins)
  • Anatomy of digestive tract
  • Enzymes and factors that affect their function
  • Food movement through the GI tract
  • Nutrient absorption