Associate Professor TSUJIMURA Seiya, Institute of Pure and Applied Sciences

Humans derive energy from the food they consume. However, how? The answer lies in oxidation and reduction. The primary nutrients found in food are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. All of these are organic substances comprising linked carbon atoms. When digestive enzymes break down these organic molecules, oxidizing enzymes extract electrons from them. These electrons are subsequently accepted by the oxygen we inhale, ultimately leading to the formation of water and carbon dioxide. Through this process, the chemical energy from food is transfo