Where does the digestion of carbohydrates begin?

The digestion of carbohydrates begins in the mouth due to the action of enzymes present in saliva. When food is chewed, saliva mixes with the carbohydrate-containing food, and an enzyme called salivary amylase starts breaking down starches into simpler sugars. This enzymatic process is crucial as it initiates the digestive process before the food even reaches the stomach.

Once food travels to the stomach, carbohydrate digestion does not continue effectively, as the acidic environment deactivates salivary amylase. In the small intestine, while more carbohydrate digestion occurs through the action of other enzymes (such as those from the pancreas), the initial step of breaking down carbohydrates begins distinctly in the mouth. The large intestine primarily handles water absorption and waste elimination, rather than digestion of carbohydrates.

Therefore, recognizing the mouth as the starting point for carbohydrate digestion is key to understanding the overall digestive process.