Tag: Galactose absorption

Before they can be used for energy, dietary carbohydrates must be broken down into their simplest units, a process that culminates in the small intestine. The small intestine is the primary site where these digested carbohydrates are absorbed into the bloodstream. Only the simplest form of carbohydrates, known as monosaccharides, are small enough to pass through the intestinal wall.

Unlike glucose and galactose, which share a sodium-dependent active transport pathway, fructose absorption relies entirely on facilitated diffusion, a key distinction in why fructose is absorbed differently from glucose and galactose in the small intestine. This fundamental difference has significant metabolic implications for the body after sugar consumption.