Digestion Of Carbohydrates
To absorb the nutrients from the food we eat, food must be broken down into a form we can absorb through our intestine walls. The process of digestion starts in the mouth with an enzyme called amylase. Amylase is present in the saliva and begins the breakdown of long chain starch molecules into shorter chain molecules (maltodextrins). This digestion however stops due to the acids in the stomach.
The stomach acids denature or destroy amylase. This is where the food swallowed is broken down further, but only in the physical sense. The food is only broken into smaller pieces. It is not until these smaller pieces reach the small intestine where the chemical breakdown continues. This is where fiber can come into play. As I said above, fiber can delay food from emptying into the small intestine.
This Has Two Benefits:
Number one, any carbohydrate digestion to be done in the small intestine is delayed.
Number two; it gives you the feeling of satiety, or satisfaction from a meal.
In the small intestine, huge amounts (more than needed) of amylase are secreted and go to work on breaking down the carbohydrates. This is where speed of absorption depends on the kind of starch. The larger the molecule, the longer it will take to break down, and therefore to be absorbed into the blood.