Eli5 How do the body transform carbohydrates into energy, protein into tissues, and where in the body is carbohydrates/proteins stored?
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Your body has a lot of metabolic pathways to do all these things, but they’re all ridiculously complex and convoluted and not really something that can be explained to a 5yr old.
Like THIS complex:
http://pathways2.embl.de/iPath1/data/default_map.png
Imagine your body is like a big Lego set. You need different kinds of Lego blocks to build things. Carbohydrates are like the simple Lego blocks, and your body breaks them down into tiny pieces called “glucose.” Glucose is like the basic building block that gives you energy. It’s your body’s favorite fuel!
When you eat proteins, they’re like special Lego blocks that help repair and build your body. Your body takes these special blocks and uses them to make your muscles, skin, and other important parts.
Now, where does your body keep all these Lego blocks for later? Well, it’s like having a special Lego box called “storage.” Your body stores extra glucose in your liver and muscles. When you need energy, your body takes out these stored glucose blocks and uses them. For proteins, your body doesn’t store them the same way as carbohydrates, but it uses them as soon as you eat them to build and repair your body.
So, carbohydrates are turned into energy, and proteins are used to build and fix your body, just like building amazing things with Lego blocks!
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