The process of breaking down food to release energy is called?

Question

its one word what is the word?

Answer 1

metabolism

Every time you swallow a bite of sandwich or slurp a smoothie, your body works hard to process the nutrients you've eaten. Long after the dishes are cleared and the food is digested, the nutrients you've taken in become the building blocks and fuel needed by your body. Your body gets the energy it needs from food through a process called metabolism.

Answer 2

Physiology.
The process by which food is converted into substances that can be absorbed and assimilated by the body. It is accomplished in the alimentary canal by the mechanical and enzymatic breakdown of foods into simpler chemical compounds.
The result of this process.
The ability to digest food.
The process of decomposing organic matter in sewage by bacteria.
Assimilation of ideas or information; understanding.

or:

me·tab·o·lism (m-tb-lzm) KEY
The chemical processes occurring within a living cell or organism that are necessary for the maintenance of life. In metabolism some substances are broken down to yield energy for vital processes while other substances, necessary for life, are synthesized.
The processing of a specific substance within the living body: water metabolism; iodine metabolism.

Answer 3

cellular respiration or "respiration" describes the oxidative process occurring within living cells by which the chemical energy of organic molecules is released in a series of metabolic steps involving the consumption of oxygen and the liberation of carbon dioxide and water.

Note that respiration also means breathing with your lungs and that's what most of us think of first, but the above definition of respiration is also correct and the word I believe you're looking for. Including the link to both definitions.

Metabolism describes he chemical processes occurring within a living cell or organism that are necessary for the maintenance of life. In metabolism some substances are broken down to yield energy for vital processes while other substances, necessary for life, are synthesized. This describes synthesis as well as breaking down materials so I don't think it fits as well as respiration.

http://www.answers.com/topic/respiration?cat=health

Answer 4

I'd have to agree with metabolism. Digestion is strictly the mechanical/enzymatic process of chopping food into smaller pieces that can be fed into the cells of the body where the actual energy releasing happens. the cellular action of releasing and reusing energy is called metabolism. specifically, catabolism is the releasing of energy during metabolism, and anabolism is the using of energy during metabolism.

Answer 5

to release energy? Breaking down food takes energy. Going through Kreb cycle, glycolysis and electron transport chain is what produces energy. Catabolism maybe?

Answer 6

respiration!
digestion is breaking down food to be assimilated into the body.
respiration is the process of breaking down organic materials to release energy.

Answer 7

Digestion, Metabolism, or Cellular Respiration.

Answer 8

Digestion

Answer 9

Digestion

Answer 10

Metabolize.