Final answer:
Bile salts are essential in the digestion of fats by emulsifying large fat globules into smaller droplets, allowing pancreatic lipase to effectively digest them into monoglycerides and fatty acids. The statement is True.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that bile salts function to digest the triglycerides in the fat of the food we eat is True. Bile salts are crucial for the digestion of fats. They are produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. During digestion, bile salts are released into the small intestine where they emulsify fats. This means they break down large fat globules into smaller droplets, increasing the surface area for enzymes to work on. The pancreatic enzyme pancreatic lipase then acts on these emulsified fats, breaking them down into monoglycerides and fatty acids.
Individuals who have undergone gallbladder removal may experience difficulties digesting high-fat meals, as their bodies cannot store and regulate the release of bile into the intestine as effectively. This can lead to a less efficient fat digestion process. Bile also plays a role in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and cholesterol metabolism.
The statement is True.