The Fate of Fat

This animation shows how dietary fat gets digested, packaged, and sent to various tissues for storage or energy.

During digestion, fat is separated from protein and carbohydrates in the stomach. It is then absorbed through the microvilli in the small intestine and repackaged into a delivery particle called a chylomicron. Chylomicrons travel through the lymphatic system to the bloodstream and are eventually delivered to fat cells for storage, or to muscle cells for energy.

This animation is a clip from a 2004 Holiday Lecture Series, The Science of Fat. Depending on students’ background, it may be helpful to pause the animation at various points to discuss different structures or steps in the process.