Food
Saliva Power: How Your Mouth Starts Digestion
Ages 3–9
Q-bo's Answer
Digestion starts in your mouth! Discover how enzymes in your saliva turn bread into sugar with this simple chemistry test.
📖 Explanation
🎒 For Ages 6-9
Chemical vs. Mechanical Digestion
Chewing is mechanical, but your saliva has Amylase, a chemical 'scissors' that cuts long starch molecules into tiny sugar molecules. This is why bread starts to taste sweet if you chew it for a long time!
Step 1 / 2
🧪 Starch Disappearing Act
~20 minUse iodine to prove that saliva destroys starch.
🛒 Supplies
📋 Steps
- 1
🥣 Make starch water
Mix a little cornstarch with water in two cups. Add iodine to turn them both dark blue.
- 2
✨ The Enzyme Test
Add your saliva to one cup. Wait 10 minutes. The blue color will disappear as the starch is eaten by the enzyme!
Watch the Video
Action of saliva on starch digestion biology
Saliva Power: How Your Mouth Starts Digestion