Tag: Salivary enzymes

Saliva contains the enzyme lingual lipase, which initiates the digestion of dietary fats, or oil, in the mouth. This enzymatic action begins the complex journey of lipid breakdown, explaining how does saliva break down oil and preparing it for further digestion in the stomach and small intestine.

Approximately 5% of starch digestion begins in the mouth, and this is carried out by the same powerful enzyme secreted by both the salivary glands and the pancreas. This specialized enzyme is known as amylase, and it plays a critical role in converting complex carbohydrates into simpler sugars that the body can use for energy.

While digestion begins the moment food enters your mouth, with saliva containing enzymes that initiate the breakdown of certain nutrients, actual nutrient absorption in the mouth is very minimal. The vast majority of nutrient uptake into the bloodstream occurs later in the small intestine.