What are the end products of lipid digestion?

• A. Glucose and galactose
• B. Fatty acids and glycerol
• C. Amino acids
• D. Nucleotides

Answer: (B)

Lipid digestion ends with fatty acids and glycerol. Pancreatic lipase, aided by bile salts, breaks triglycerides into free fatty acids and monoglycerides; these products are then taken up by enterocytes and, inside the cells, reassembled into triglycerides for transport. Glycerol from the backbone is also absorbed into the portal circulation. So the digestible end products you’re looking for are fatty acids and glycerol (with monoglycerides as an intermediate in the lumen). This fits why fatty acids and glycerol is the best choice, whereas carbohydrates yield glucose or galactose, proteins yield amino acids, and nucleic acids yield nucleotides.