The Evolution of Starch Digestion in Early Humans
The Role of Amylase: A Starch-Breaking Enzyme
The ability to digest starch has played a crucial role in human evolution. When starch enters the mouth, amylase, an enzyme in saliva, begins to break it down. Two recent studies in Nature1 & Science2 have revealed the evolutionary importance of amylase in our ancestors and how they adapted to changing diets. Researchers discovered that early humans exper…
