What are Digestive Enzymes?
Enzymes are special proteins which act as catalysts, enabling our bodies to perform all of their biological processes - from the digestion of food to the sending of nerve impulses. It seems our bodies require enzymes to do pretty much everything - to mend, heal, and even think! Digestive enzymes are used by the body to digest food.
So what are digestive enzymes? Digestive enzymes fall into three main types:
- amylases - break down carbohydrates into simple sugars
- proteases - break down proteins into amino acids
- lipases - fat digesting enzymes
Digestive enzymes in the Human Body
Everytime we put food in our mouth and start to chew our digestive enzymes get to work breaking down the food into smaller molecules for optimum digestion. There are many different types of digestive enzymes, which are active in different areas of the digestive tract. Each break down a specific type of food.
In the mouth we have our salivary amylase which begins to work on breaking down large starch molecules into simple sugars
In the stomach hydrochloric acid gets to work dissolving our food, and the enzyme pepsin works in the acid environment of the stomach to break down proteins.
In the small intestine the pancreatic enzymes trypsin and chynotrypsin continue to break down proteins. Pancreatic amylase continues breaking down carbohydrates into simple sugars, and lipase begins to break down fats into digestible fatty acids. There are even more digestive enzymes embedded in the villi of the lining of the small intestine which enable us to digest and absorb amino acids and simple sugars.
Digestive Enzymes Benefits
A Finite Supply of Enzymes
Babies, children, and young adults have more than twice the amount of digestive enzymes than older adults. Many believe we are born with a finite amount of enzymes, and that by preserving our enzymes we can remain healthy and youthful well into our 80's - possibly longer! We are able to preserve enzymes by eating a diet high in living foods.
If your have problems with your digestion or low energy then a good quality digestive enzyme supplement can help break down your food, enabling your own enzymes to heal and repair your body.
Eating Lightly Preserves Digestive Enzymes
One of the most beneficial things you can do for your body is to eat only when you are genuinely hungry. By eating lightly we also preserve our bodies supply of enzymes. Overeating even healthy foods is very detrimental to our health.Enzymes in food
Nuts, seeds, and beans contain enzyme inhibitors whose purpose is to prevent them from sprouting and trying to grow in unsuitable conditions. Soaking and sprouting raw nuts, seeds, and grains turns them into live foods rich in nutrients and enzymes. The soaking process removes enzyme inhibitors and makes them much easier to digest.
Heating food above 120F is said to destroy all of its enzymes and some of its nutrients, making it less nutritious. Cooked vegetables are still healthy, but they are often even healthier raw, as long as your body can digest them.
Raw food enthusiasts use juicers and blenders to preserve the high enzyme and nutrient content of raw food, while making it easier for our bodies to digest.
Raw living food can be warmed up to about 120F (warm to the touch) before digestive enzymes start to be damaged. This has inspired the use of the dehydrator. As well as being used to make 'raw' breads, cookies, and burgers, dehydrators are a useful way to preserve summer fruits and vegetables for winter use.
For the optimum digestion when eating cooked food, or when starting on a raw food diet you can take a good quality digestive enzyme supplement. Enzyme rich foods such as sauerkraut or kombucha are otherways to optimise digestion of cooked food. Eating a green salad before any cooked food also improves digestion.
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