201k views
4 votes
Bile contains a large amount of bile salts, which break down?

1) proteins
2) fats
3) carbohydrates
4) vitamins

User Cmancre
by
8.5k points

1 Answer

6 votes

Final answer:

Bile salts in bile emulsify fats in the small intestine, breaking them down into smaller droplets for better digestion by enzymes like pancreatic lipase.

Step-by-step explanation:

Bile contains a large amount of bile salts, which are crucial in the process of digesting and absorbing dietary fats. These salts are synthesized from cholesterol in the liver and act as emulsifying agents, helping to break down large fat globules into smaller fat droplets in the small intestine. This process increases the surface area of the fats, making them more accessible to digestive enzymes like pancreatic lipase. As a result, bile salts primarily break down fats.