What type of food is mainly absorbed into the lacteal of the villi?

• A. Amino acids
• B. Fatty acids / glycerol
• C. Water
• D. Simple sugars

Answer: (B)

Fats are absorbed via the lacteal in the villi. After digestion, fats are broken down into fatty acids and monoglycerides, which enter the enterocytes and are reassembled into triglycerides. These triglycerides are packaged into chylomicrons, which are too large to fit into blood capillaries, so they enter the lymphatic vessels of the villus—the lacteals. From there they travel through the lymphatic system and eventually reach the bloodstream. In contrast, amino acids and simple sugars are taken up by the blood capillaries, and water is absorbed mainly by osmosis across the intestinal lining. So the substance primarily absorbed into the lacteal is fat—fatty acids and glycerol (via the chylomicron pathway).