Mon Prof Augmenté
Gut bacteria at work
Open to everyone until Tuesday, September 29
To keep it, print it while it is open.
Gut bacteria break down parts of food that the body cannot digest on its own. This releases nutrients that pass through the intestinal wall into the blood.
In the picture
- Rod-shaped bacterium: a gut microbe beside food fragments
- Food fragment: a clump of partly broken-down food
- Intestinal wall: the cell-covered surface lining the gut
- Nutrient dot: a small released nutrient crossing the wall
- Red vessel: a blood channel receiving nutrients beneath the wall
Examples
- Beans and whole grains contain fibers that gut bacteria ferment into useful compounds.
- Yogurt with live cultures adds bacteria that can help process food in the gut.
Key takeaways
- Gut bacteria help unlock energy and nutrients from food.
- Some nutrients must cross the intestinal wall to enter the bloodstream.
Carry on in the app
Three questions on this lesson, to check the idea stuck. Free in the app while the lesson is in the free week.
At least one new illustrated lesson every weekday for your child’s year, with its quiz and a reminder at 6:15 pm.
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