Nutrition is the starting point and basis for all human form and function. From the time a single-celled, fertilized egg divides in two, nutrition provides the matter needed for cell division, growth, and development. It is the source of fuel that provides the energy for all biological work and of the raw materials for replacement of worn-out biomolecules and cells. The fact that it provides only the raw materials means, further, that chemical change–metabolism–lies at the foundation of form and function. In the previous chapter, we saw how the digestive system breaks nutrients down into usable form and absorbs them into the blood and lymph. We now consider these nutrients in more depth, follow their fate after absorption, and explore related issues of metabolism and body heat.

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