Analysis of Milk Digestion, Absorption, and Metabolic Processes

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the digestion, absorption, and metabolism of milk. It begins by highlighting milk's nutritional composition, including macro-elements like calcium and micro-elements like iron, as well as key macronutrients (lactose) and micronutrients (Vitamin D and Vitamin B12). The report details the digestive process, starting from the oral cavity and proceeding through the stomach and small intestine, emphasizing the role of enzymes and gastric juices. It further explores the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream and the elimination of undigested matter. Specific attention is given to the functions of Vitamin B12 in the nervous system and blood cell production, and Vitamin D in calcium and phosphorus regulation. The report concludes with a summary of milk's nutrient profile and the importance of digestion and absorption processes, referencing relevant scientific literature.

DIGESTION, ABSORBTION,
AND METABOLISM OF MILK
NAME OF THE STUDENT
NAME OF THE

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Milk is a food item which is full of nutrient. It is a
liquid food item having the colour of white,
produced by the mammary gland of animals. It is
an essential source of food for infants and children
for the growth and development.
The milk consists of multiple elements which can
be categorised into –
1. Macro-elements consists of Calcium,
Manganese, Sodium, Potassium, Phosphorus,
Chlorine
2. Micro-elements consists of Iron, Zinc, Copper,
Selenium, and many other nutrients.
The major macronutrient in the milk is
Carbohydrate in the form of Lactose and the major
micronutrients in the milk are Vitamin D and
Cobalamin (Vitamin B12).
OVERVIEW

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Digestion comprises a complex procedure of
mechanical and chemical process.
Chewing of food is the
mechanical process.
Mixing of food is the
chemical process.
DIGESTION IN ORAL CAVITY

DIGESTION & ABSORBTION
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1. After the food initially reaches the
stomach, it rests there for 4 to 5 hours.
2. The food substance in the stomach gets
digested with the help of gastric juices
through the churning movements of
the stomach muscle.
3. After the gastric juice and the enzymes
does their work, the food moves
forward towards the small intestine
(NCERT 2015).

DIGESTION & ABSORBTION
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1. Further digestion process occurs in small
intestine.
2. Due to the movements of small intestine,
the chyme is further mixed and churned.
Various enzymes are released during this
process which helps in the digestion of
the food particles into smaller particles.
After this they are absorbed into the blood
stream.
3. Any further undigested, unabsorbed food
substance are then passed on to the large
intestine.
4. Undigested, unabsorbed food particles are
termed as faecal matter which are passed
onto the anus and are eliminated through
anus (NCERT 2015).

MICRONUTRIENTS
VITAMIN B12
Also known as Cobalamin. It plays a
significant role in the nervous system, and
in the manufacture of blood cells. A
deficiency of vitamin B12 can cause
anaemia (National Institutes of Health
2019).
VITAMIN D
It helps in balancing the level of calcium
and phosphorus in the blood. It aids in
the absorption of calcium, helping in the
maintenance of strong bones (National
Institutes of Health 2019).

MACRONUTRIENTS
Milk consists of approximately 5% carbohydrate which
majorly consists of lactose and small percentage of
monosaccharide and oligosaccharides. Lactose is a
disaccharide of glucose and galactose (Ohlsson et al.
2017).

SUMMARY
• Milk is a white liquid food item which is full of nutrient
produce by the mammary gland of animals.
• The milk consists of multiple elements such as Calcium,
Manganese, Sodium, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Selenium, and
many other nutrients.
• The major macronutrient in the milk is Carbohydrate in the
form of Lactose and the major micronutrients in the milk
are Vitamin D and Cobalamin (Vitamin B12).
• Digestion comprises a complex procedure of mechanical
and chemical process.
• Vitamin B12 plays an important role in the nervous system,
in the production of blood cells.
• Vitamin D helps in the management of the levels of
calcium and phosphorus in the blood.

REFERENCES
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National Institutes of Health (2019). What is vitamin D and what does it do?. [online] Ods.od.nih.gov. Available
at: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/ [Accessed 23 Aug. 2019].
National Institutes of Health (2019). What is vitamin B12 and what does it do?. [online] Ods.od.nih.gov. Available
at: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-Consumer/ [Accessed 23 Aug. 2019].
Gaucheron, F., 2011. Milk and dairy products: a unique micronutrient combination. Journal of the American
College of Nutrition, 30(sup5), pp.400S-409S.
Smith, A.D., Warren, M.J. and Refsum, H., 2018. Vitamin B12. In Advances in food and nutrition research (Vol.
83, pp. 215-279). Academic Press.
Bikle, D.D., 2016. Vitamin D and bone. In Handbook of nutrition and diet in therapy of bone diseases (pp. 2063-
2068). Wageningen Academic Publishers.
Barnes, J., 2017. Digestive system. In Atlas of Feline Anatomy For Veterinarians (pp. 163-180). Teton
NewMedia.
Saladin, K.S., 2016. Human anatomy. McGraw-Hill Education.
NCERT (2015). HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY. [online] Ncert.nic.in. Available at:
http://ncert.nic.in/ncerts/l/kebo116.pdf [Accessed 23 Aug. 2019].
Ohlsson, J.A., Johansson, M., Hansson, H., Abrahamson, A., Byberg, L., Smedman, A., Lindmark-Månsson, H.
and Lundh, Å., 2017. Lactose, glucose and galactose content in milk, fermented milk and lactose-free milk
products. International dairy journal, 73, pp.151-154.

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