Enzymes are super important for breaking down carbohydrates, helping our bodies digest them into simple sugars that we can use for energy.

This digestion process starts in our mouths. Here, an enzyme called salivary amylase helps break down starch into smaller pieces like maltose and dextrins.

After we chew and swallow our food, it goes to the stomach. In the stomach, the acid stops salivary amylase from working. But don’t worry! The real stars of breaking down carbohydrates are the enzymes from the pancreas.

Here’s how they work:

• Pancreatic amylase: This enzyme is released into the small intestine. It keeps breaking down starches into smaller parts.
• Maltase, isomaltase, and sucrase: These enzymes turn disaccharides (which are sugars made of two parts) into monosaccharides (which are single sugar units) like glucose, fructose, and galactose.

Once the carbohydrates are broken down into these simple sugars, they can be absorbed through the walls of the intestine and into our bloodstream. This is how we get the energy we need!

To sum it up, enzymes are essential for helping our bodies turn carbohydrates from food into the energy we need to live and play. They work really well and show just how amazing our metabolism is!