An enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates (complex sugars) into simpler sugar molecules that the body can absorb and use for energy.
From 'carbo-' plus 'hydrate' plus '-ase' (the suffix for enzymes). Named systematically in the 20th century as biochemists identified and classified the specific enzymes that digest different foods.
Carbohydrase enzymes like amylase in your saliva start digesting bread and pasta before you even swallow—this is why you should chew your food: you're literally giving enzymes more surface area to work with.
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