What is catabolism?

Catabolism is when your body breaks big things into smaller pieces to get energy.

Imagine you have a big, heavy toy box full of blocks, that’s like big molecules in your body. When you want to play, you take out the blocks one by one, that's like catabolism, where your body takes apart big molecules to use them for power.

Your body does this all day long. For example, when you eat a sandwich, your body starts breaking down the bread and cheese into smaller parts so it can use them for energy. It’s like taking a big puzzle and turning it into little pieces that are easier to handle.

Sometimes, your body even uses catabolism during playtime or running, when you need extra power, it breaks down stored energy from your muscles, like opening up a snack bag to grab a quick bite.

So next time you’re playing with blocks or eating a snack, remember: you're doing catabolism, the body’s way of breaking things down to get going!