Chapter 33

These flashcards cover key concepts and terms related to animal nutrition, including types of diets, essential nutrients, processes of digestion and absorption, and relevant diseases.

Herbivores

Animals that eat mainly plants and algae.

Carnivores

Animals that eat other animals.

Omnivores

Animals that regularly consume both plants and animals.

Essential Nutrients

Nutrients that must be obtained from an animal’s diet.

Essential Amino Acids

Nine amino acids that must be obtained from food because they cannot be synthesized by the body.

Vitamins

Organic molecules required in small amounts in the diet.

Minerals

Simple inorganic nutrients usually needed in small amounts.

Malnutrition

Condition that arises when a diet does not provide enough chemical energy.

Absorption

The uptake of nutrients by body cells.

Ingestion

The act of eating.

Digestion

The process of breaking food down into molecules small enough to absorb.

Peristalsis

Rhythmic contractions of muscles in the wall of the canal that move food.

Gastric Juice

A mixture of acid and enzymes secreted by the stomach that helps in digestion.

Pepsin

A protein-digesting enzyme that cleaves proteins into smaller peptides.

Chyme

A mixture of food and gastric juice that passes from the stomach to the small intestine.

Bile

A digestive fluid produced by the liver that aids in the emulsification of fats.

Sphincters

Circular muscular valves that regulate the movement of material between compartments.

Glucose Homeostasis

The regulation of blood glucose levels by insulin and glucagon.

Diabetes Mellitus

A disease caused by a deficiency of insulin or a decreased response to insulin.