Where are fats and oils digested in the digestive system?

The majority of fat digestion occurs in the small intestine. Here's a breakdown of how fats and oils are digested in the digestive system:

1. Emulsification in the Mouth: The process begins in the mouth when you chew your food. The enzyme lingual lipase, present in saliva, starts to break down some of the dietary fat into smaller droplets. However, the majority of fat digestion occurs further along the digestive tract.

2. Digestion in the Stomach: Fats are not significantly digested in the stomach. The stomach's primary function is to mix food with gastric juices and break it down mechanically, not chemically.

3. Emulsification in the Small Intestine: Once food enters the small intestine, the pancreas releases enzymes known as pancreatic lipases. These enzymes further break down fats into smaller particles. Bile salts, produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, help to emulsify fats, meaning they break the fat droplets into tiny micelles that can be more easily digested.

4. Chemical Digestion and Absorption: The small intestine also produces enzymes such as phospholipase A2, cholesterol esterase, and carboxyl ester lipase, which help break down various components of fats. The products of fat digestion, including fatty acids and monoglycerides, are then absorbed through the walls of the small intestine into the bloodstream.

5. Transport and Storage: Absorbed fats are transported from the small intestine to other parts of the body via the lymphatic system and the bloodstream. Excess dietary fat can be stored as adipose tissue (body fat) for future energy use.

So, the primary site of fat and oil digestion is the small intestine, where pancreatic lipases and bile salts work together to break down and emulsify fats, allowing them to be absorbed and used by the body.