What is amylase?

Amylase is like a tiny helper that breaks big food pieces into smaller ones so your body can use them better.

Imagine you're eating a big pile of crumbs, they’re hard to swallow and even harder to digest. That’s where amylase comes in! It acts like a little cleaner who takes those big crumbs and turns them into something easier, like sugar, so your body can use the energy from the food.

Amylase is found in your mouth and stomach. When you chew food, amylase starts working right away, that’s why sometimes your saliva feels a bit sweet when you’re eating bread or potatoes.

In your stomach, more amylase helps keep breaking things down until your body can take the sugar and use it for energy, just like how you charge your toy with batteries!