Which reason best explains why ethanol does not require digestion before absorption?

• A. Ethanol binds to bile salts in the intestines which directly shuttle it through enterocytes into lymph without prior hydrolysis, a process used by most macronutrients as well.
• B. Ethanol is packaged into chylomicrons in enterocytes then released into the portal vein, which mirrors carbohydrate absorption and explains rapid uptake.
• C. Ethanol must first be emulsified by gastric acid into micelles similar to dietary fats, which is why it is absorbed only in the presence of fat.
• D. Ethanol is a small, water-soluble molecule that can cross cell membranes by passive diffusion without enzymatic breakdown, unlike macronutrients that are polymers requiring enzymatic digestion.

Answer: (D)