gen-define-the-digestion-of-carbohydrates-and-give-one-short-wor-b9cc

Define the digestion of carbohydrates and give one short worked example.

# Digestion of Carbohydrates **Definition:** Carbohydrate digestion is the enzymatic breakdown of complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides and disaccharides) into simple monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose) that can be absorbed through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. ## Key Steps: 1. **Mouth** - Salivary amylase begins starch breakdown 2. **Stomach** - Acid halts amylase activity 3. **Small intestine** - Pancreatic amylase continues breakdown 4. **Intestinal brush border** - Specific enzymes (maltase, sucrase, lactase) break disaccharides into monosaccharides 5. **Absorption** - Monosaccharides absorbed into blood --- ## Worked Example: Starch Digestion **Starting molecule:** Starch (amylose) - a chain of 1000 glucose units **Step 1 (Mouth):** - Salivary amylase breaks some α-1,4 glycosidic bonds - Result: Smaller chains (dextrins) + maltose **Step 2 (Small intestine):** - Pancreatic amylase continues breakdown - Result: Mostly maltose (glucose-glucose disaccharide) **Step 3 (Brush border):** - Maltase enzyme breaks maltose - Reaction: Maltose + H₂O → Glucose + Glucose **Final product:** Individual glucose molecules ready for absorption **Net result:** 1000 glucose units absorbed into bloodstream for cellular energy