Carbohydrate Digestion
Carbohydrate digestion begins in the mouth, where the enzyme salivary amylase breaks down starches into simpler sugars. As food is chewed, it mixes with saliva, initiating the process of converting complex carbohydrates into simpler forms like maltose.
Once the food reaches the small intestine, pancreatic enzymes, including pancreatic amylase, further digest carbohydrates. The resulting simple sugars, such as glucose, are then absorbed through the intestinal walls into the bloodstream, providing energy for the body. Any undigested carbohydrates are fermented by bacteria in the large intestine, producing gases and short-chain fatty acids.