Food storage

Storage in Mammals
Introduction

 In this unit, you will learn about how and why

food is stored in mammals.
 Storage of food in mammals is helpful, for we
need some foods constantly. (e.g., energy
giving foods)
 Food is stored in mammals in different ways
and in different forms.
Objectives

 Students will describe where in the body

different foods are stored
 Students will list which foods are stored by
the mammal’s body
 Students will explain how carbohydrates are
stored in the body and made available when
needed.
Storage in mammals
 In mammals, different types of food are stored
 Polysaccharides are stored.
 Lipids are stored.
 Fat soluble vitamins are stored.
 Some minerals are stored.
 Where in your body could lipids (fats) be stored? CHECK

Under skin/around stomach

 Where in your body could some minerals be stored? CHECK

Calcium in your bones, Iron in the blood

 Consider, why do our bodies store food? CHECK

For reproduction when much nutrients are needed, for times of food scarcity)
Storage of polysaccharides is important
 Why do we think about storing polysaccharides?
(energy source)
 It is important to find out how these are kept in the
body, for quick energy when needed
 Excess glucose is converted to glycogen and
stored.
 Polysaccharides are stored as glycogen in
mammals.
 Two chemicals regulate whether glycogen is stored
or whether it is converted to glucose for quick use.
Glycogen is stored in the liver.

http://www.hepcmo.org/hep-c-101/the-liver.html
Regulation of glucose and glycogen
balance
 This occurs mainly in the liver
 Insulin produced by the pancreas, acts on glucose making body
cells take it in, and also converting it to glycogen to be stored
 When glucose intake stops (no feeding), less insulin is secreted,
and more glucagon
 Glucagon, from the pancreas also, breaks down glycogen to
glucose, which enters the bloodstream
 Levels of these two hormones (insulin, glucagon) are regulated
so that there is a constant balance
 While the muscles need glucose in times of action, the brain
needs glucose all the time (it doesn’t store glycogen)
 If glucose continues to be absorbed even when glycogen storage
areas become filled, the glucose is converted to triglycerides in
the liver, and stored in fatty tissues.
 Glycogen is also stored in muscles. Can you suggest why? (quick
conversion to glucose=quick energy)

http://www.dreamstime.com/human-anatomy---muscle-system---female-image67471
Lipids are stored as fat. This fat is an energy source and also an insulator.
Fat is stored under the skin and around central body organs. Notice where the fat
is stored in the diagram (the yellow coloured areas
http://living-creatures.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html
Storage of other materials
 Other materials are also stored.
 These materials include; fat soluble vitamins A,D, E
and K, vitamin C, nicotinic acid and folic acid.
 Minerals such as iron and potassium are also
stored.
 Many vitamins and minerals are stored in the liver.
 Make up a table showing the nutrients and where
they are stored in your notebook.
Summary

1. Many different nutrients are stored in the

body of a mammal like you
2. Some are needed constantly for energy, for
insulation and for body activities
3. It is useful to keep some of these nutrients
so that the body will have a constant supply.
4. The nutrients are stored in different ways in
different parts of the body.