Q. 4. What is the function of digestive enzymes?
The food we eat consists of very complex molecules which directly cannot be used for taking up energy and therefore these molecules have to be broken down into simple molecules.
The process of breaking down of these molecules is a very complex chemical process and requires very long time and this is where the digestive enzymes come in. They act as bio-catalysts and speed up the chemical reactions involving the breakdown of these molecules so that they can be absorbed by the cells and energy can be derived from them.