The simple sugar that is broken down in the mitochondria is glucose. Glucose undergoes glycolysis in the cytosol, producing pyruvate, which then enters the mitochondria. Inside the mitochondria, pyruvate is further metabolized through the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle), leading to the production of energy- carrying molecules like ATP, NADH, and FADH2. This process releases the energy stored in glucose to power cellular activities.
