Helpful bacteria
Tiny helpers in the large intestine.
Tiny helpers
The large intestine holds very small living organisms.
What do some of these tiny organisms do?
What this lesson covers
The idea
The large intestine contains small living organisms such as bacteria that help in digestion by breaking down undigested food, especially fibre, and producing essential nutrients.
Tiny helpers
The large intestine holds very small living organisms.
What do some of these tiny organisms do?
- They help in digestion
- They stop digestion
- They make the food pipe longer
Bacteria on
Switch the bacteria on. Watch the long strands of fibre.
Fibre broken, nutrients made
The bacteria broke the fibre into small pieces and made essential nutrients. Fibre-rich foods and fermented foods like curd, buttermilk, shrikhand, kanji, pickles, gundruk and poita bhat are good for a healthy digestive system.
The large intestine contains small living organisms such as bacteria that help in digestion by breaking down undigested food, especially fibre, and producing essential nutrients.
Notes
The large intestine contains small living organisms such as bacteria that help in digestion by breaking down undigested food, especially fibre, and producing essential nutrients.
Check yourself
What do bacteria in the large intestine break down?
What else do these bacteria produce?
Which of these is a fermented food?
Which kinds of food are good for a healthy digestive system?
- Undigested food, especially fibre — correct. Yes!
- Only water. Water is already simple. The bacteria break down undigested food, especially fibre.
- The wall of the intestine. The bacteria help digestion by breaking down undigested food, especially fibre.
- Bile. Bile is made by the liver.
- Essential nutrients — correct. Yes!
- Saliva. Saliva is made in the mouth.
- Plain water. Water is not a fermented food.
- A raw apple. An apple is a fibre-rich fruit, but it is not a fermented food.
- Curd — correct. Yes!
- Fibre-rich and fermented foods — correct. Yes!
- Only fried snacks. The book names fibre-rich and fermented foods as good for digestion.
- No food at all. We need food. Fibre-rich and fermented foods are good for a healthy digestive system.