The breakdown of sucrose into the simple sugars fructose and glucose is an exergonic reaction. Sucrose is quite stable, and left on its own at room or even human body temperature, breakdown occurs very slowly. The enzyme sucrase catalyzes the conversion of sucrose to glucose and fructose, increasing the reaction rate at least one-million-fold. How does the net amount of energy released during the breakdown of sucrose compare between a spontaneous reaction and one catalyzed by sucrase?