Cells need to turn nutrients in our diet into a form of energy that they can use, and the process starts with glucose. Glucose is the basic fuel that powers every single one of our cells. If we eat or drink things that are high in glucose, the glucose gets absorbed straight into our blood ready for our cells to use. If a starchy food is ___ the menu, the enzymes in our saliva and digestive juices break it down and convert it into glucose.