Why Do Crackers Taste Sweet After Being in Your Mouth?

Worksheet Question 8.6

Homework Unanswered

Have you ever noticed that a cracker starts to taste sweet after it has been in your mouth for a while? This phenomenon can be explained by the process of digestion.

Final answer:

Digestive enzymes in saliva break down complex carbohydrates in crackers into simple sugars, giving them a sweet taste in the mouth.

Explanation:

When a cracker is in your mouth, the digestive enzymes in your saliva break down the complex carbohydrates present in crackers into simple sugars like glucose. Glucose is perceived as sweet by the taste buds on your tongue. As the cracker becomes softer and more exposed to saliva, the enzymes have more time to break down the carbohydrates, resulting in a sweeter taste.

So, next time you experience a cracker tasting sweet in your mouth, you can thank the digestive enzymes in your saliva for the chemical reaction that transforms complex carbohydrates into simple sugars!