Editing Digestion (section)

===Carbohydrate digestion===
{{further|Carbohydrate metabolism|Carbohydrate catabolism}}
In humans, dietary starches are composed of [[glucose]] units arranged in long chains called amylose, a [[polysaccharide]]. During digestion, bonds between glucose molecules are broken by salivary and pancreatic [[amylase]], resulting in progressively smaller chains of glucose.  This results in simple sugars glucose and [[maltose]] (2 glucose molecules) that can be absorbed by the small intestine.

[[Lactase]] is an enzyme that breaks down the [[disaccharide]] [[lactose]] to its component parts, glucose and [[galactose]].  Glucose and galactose can be absorbed by the small intestine.  Approximately 65 percent of the adult population produce only small amounts of lactase and are unable to eat [[Fermentation|unfermented]] milk-based foods.  This is commonly known as [[lactose intolerance]].  Lactose intolerance varies widely by genetic heritage;  more than 90 percent of peoples of east Asian descent are lactose intolerant, in contrast to about 5 percent of people of northern European descent.<ref>{{cite web|title=Genetics Home Reference|url=http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/lactose-intolerance|website=US National Library of Medicine|publisher=US National Institutes of Health|access-date=27 June 2015}}</ref>

[[Sucrase]] is an enzyme that breaks down the disaccharide [[sucrose]], commonly known as table sugar, cane sugar, or beet sugar. Sucrose digestion yields the sugars [[fructose]] and glucose which are readily absorbed by the small intestine.