Sputem, less formally saliva and more coloquially spit is a digestive fluid produced by the salivary glands surrounding the mouth. Sputem aids with chewing and contains several digestive enzymes that start the breakdown of food into usable chemicals. One of the main enzymes in sputem converts starch into sugars. Sputem is often consumed with food and requires the patient to drink fluids to replenish it during a meal, particularly where the meal is very low in water content, such as bread or crackers.