What starts digestion?

The process of digestion starts well before food reaches the stomach ... A digestive enzyme called amylase (pronounced: AH-meh-lace), which is found in saliva, starts to break down some of the carbohydrates (starches and sugars) in the food even before it leaves the mouth.

The chemicals in the food start the digestion process by starting chemical reactions throughout the body. As this is happening, your body stores all the excess energy from the food and stores it as fat.