How Do Enzymes Help Digestion?
Digestion starts in the mouth and wraps up when waste exits the body. Digestive enzymes play a crucial role by breaking down food into smaller pieces, allowing your body to absorb and use the nutrients.
Aside from salivary amylase in the mouth, most digestive enzymes are activated in the stomach’s acidic environment. Some also work in the small and large intestines. Gut health is closely tied to your overall well-being. Therefore, supporting your digestive health by eating enzyme-rich foods is a fantastic way to boost your overall wellness.
If you’re low on energy or suffer from digestive problems like bloating, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, cramps after eating, or gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), you might not have enough digestive enzymes. People with lactose intolerance, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or other conditions affecting enzyme production can benefit from enzyme-rich foods.
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The 10 Best Foods for Digestive Enzymes
Many foods can boost your supply of digestive enzymes, with raw vegetables and fruits being the best options. Eating them raw is essential because cooking food above 118 degrees Fahrenheit deactivates these enzymes. Here are the top ten foods packed with natural enzymes:
Papaya
Papaya is one of the best-known enzyme-rich foods. It contains papain, chymopapain, glycyl endopeptidase, and glutamine cyclotransferase, all of which assist in digesting protein. Papain can alleviate constipation, bloating, heartburn, and IBS symptoms.
Pineapple
The entire pineapple, even its stem, is full of enzymes. Pineapple has bromelain, a family of enzymes that includes peroxidase, acid phosphatase, cysteine proteinases, and proteolytic enzymes. Bromelain breaks proteins into amino acids and may benefit cardiovascular, respiratory, bone, and digestive health.
Avocado
Avocados contain lipase, an enzyme that breaks down dietary fat. While the body produces lipase naturally, eating avocados or taking a lipase supplement aids in digesting high-fat meals. This can help reduce feelings of fullness and bloating and may also alleviate indigestion and flatulence. Additionally, avocados support the immune system, particularly in individuals with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
Kiwi
Kiwis contain actinidin, a cysteine protease enzyme that helps digest protein. Actinidin accelerates the absorption of protein in the small intestine. Kiwifruit also prevents bloating and the uncomfortable feeling of being too full.
Bananas
Bananas have amylase and glucosidase enzymes that digest carbohydrates like potatoes and pasta, breaking them into easily digestible simple sugars. Bananas also offer dietary fiber that supports digestion and gut bacteria. A study found that people eating two bananas daily experienced less bloating than those who didn’t. Glucosidase also helps regulate blood sugar levels, showing promise in diabetes management and boasting antioxidant properties.
Raw Honey
Raw honey is rich in various digestive enzymes, including diastase, amylase, invertase, and protease. Diastase helps digest starch, amylase breaks starch into sugars, invertase breaks down sucrose, and protease turns proteins into amino acids.
Kefir
Kefir, a drink similar to yogurt, provides lipase, protease, and lactase enzymes. It’s most effective when made from goat’s milk or coconut milk. Kefir can help with lactose intolerance and contains probiotics that improve overall gut health and reduce flatulence. For those interested, try making your own kefir with our organic coconut milk kefir recipe.
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut, made from raw, shredded, fermented cabbage, is one of the healthiest fermented foods rich in enzymes. It contains various enzymes and probiotic bacteria like Lactobacillus plantarum, which can alleviate many digestive issues. Remember that cooking sauerkraut diminishes its enzyme activity. Kimchee, a fermented Korean cabbage dish, is another excellent source of enzymes.
Mango
Sweet and delightful, mangos are rich in amylase enzymes, which break down complex carbohydrates into glucose and maltose. These enzymes improve starch and protein digestion, becoming more active as the fruit ripens. Look for sweet, ripe mangos for the best enzyme activity.
Ginger
Ginger contains zingibain, a protein-digesting enzyme that may contribute to its ability to combat nausea. Ginger also helps the stomach move food through the digestive system more efficiently.
Should You Take a Digestive Enzyme Supplement?
Incorporating enzyme-rich raw fruits, vegetables, and fermented foods into your diet can significantly enhance gut health, increase energy, and improve overall wellness. If you don’t consume enough raw fruits and vegetables, consider taking a digestive enzyme supplement.
A full-spectrum supplement might help improve poor nutrient absorption. When choosing a digestive enzyme supplement, it’s beneficial to know which foods are causing your discomfort.
I recommend VeganZyme, a comprehensive, broad-spectrum blend of digestive and systemic enzymes designed to support digestive health. Free from fillers, toxic additives, and animal products, VeganZyme is one of the most complete enzyme formulas available.
Points to Remember
Your body produces digestive enzymes, but factors like age and health issues can interfere. Eating raw fruits and vegetables like mangos and bananas, along with fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchee, provides extra enzymes that support digestion and gut health. Remember, cooking food above 118 degrees Fahrenheit inactivates enzymes, so consuming raw foods is crucial.
Among the best foods for enzymes are pineapples and papayas, which contain bromelain and papain, respectively. If you’re not eating enough raw fruits and vegetables, you might want to try a broad-spectrum enzyme supplement, or one tailored to support the digestion of foods that cause you trouble.
