Final answer:
The goal of carbohydrate digestion is to produce glucose, which is achieved through the action of enzymes like amylase, maltase, sucrase, and lactase.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ultimate goal of carbohydrate digestion and absorption is to yield glucose, which is option b. The digestion of carbohydrates begins in the mouth with the enzyme salivary α-amylase which attacks the α-glycosidic linkages in starch, producing a mixture of dextrins, maltose, and glucose. This enzyme is inactivated in the acidic environment of the stomach, but digestion continues in the small intestine with the help of pancreatic amylase. There, polysaccharides and disaccharides like starch and glycogen are fully broken down into glucose by amylase and maltase, while other disaccharides such as sucrose and lactose are digested by sucrase and lactase, respectively. Moreover, as mentioned in previous informational texts, digestion of carbohydrates is primarily completed in the small intestine. The enzymes amylases degrade starch sequentially into usable glucose units, which is the main form of carbohydrate that the body uses for energy. The principal events and sites of carbohydrate digestion involve conversion of dextrins to maltose by α-amylase, followed by cleavage of maltose into glucose molecules by maltase, enabling monosaccharides like glucose to be absorbed into the bloodstream through the wall of the small intestine.