How enzymes keep us in balance and in what foods can we find them
The truth is that enzymes are a vital part of any physiological process in the body. The enzymes live in each cell of your body and more than 3,000 different enzymes have been identified, each with different function.
While enzymes contribute to digestive health, they are also important for other body functions.
Your body requires enzymes for:
- Energy production
- Oxygen absorption
- Fights infections
- Reduces inflammation
- Transfers nutrients to cells
- Transport of toxic waste
- Breaks fats in the blood
- Dissolves blood clots
- Makes proper regulation of hormones
- Slows down the aging process
Low enzyme production and activation can leave you feeling tired and weak. There may be many reasons. A high-fat diet, a high intake of sugar and processed foods and excessive use of antibiotics and other medications can actually destroy the supply of enzymes in the body.
So we need to think about how we can put more enzymes into our cells and activate those that already exist. Raw food, live food, helps us get there.
Eating whole raw enzyme-rich foods can help reduce your body’s load to produce its own enzymes. The more enzyme-rich foods you eat, the better!
Start eating these six enzyme-rich foods and activate the enzymes:
- Pineapple
Pineapple contains a compound known as bromelain, which has been shown to have anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects. Pineapples also contain several important enzymes, including protein digestion enzymes known as cysteine proteins. These enzymes have the ability to help in inflammations, blood clotting, and even in certain types of tumours.
- Avocado
Avocados contain the highest amount of fat in the fruit kingdom, so it makes sense to contain lipase, an enzyme needed to break down diet fat. Lipase can also help relieve indigestion. Nutrients and enzymes in avocados can help reduce inflammation in the body.
- Bananas
Bananas are not only rich in potassium. It is also a great source of two different enzymes known as amylase and maltase. Amylase, which is also found in your saliva, is the first enzyme that begins to break down carbohydrates. This makes starchy foods taste sweet as you chew. Maltase breaks down maltose or malt sugar in the body.
- Pollen
Bee pollen contains almost all the nutrients people need along with a wide variety of important enzymes. In fact, bee pollen contains over 5,000 enzymes. It is a natural antioxidant that supports the immune system. You can add bee pollen to your mix of trails, oatmeal, smoothies or other snacks to incorporate it into your diet.
- Papaya
Papaya is rich in proteolytic enzymes, including papain. Papain plays an important role in maintaining the hygiene of the digestive system. It is considered one of the most effective enzymes to break down meat and other proteins in the body, and has strong anti-inflammatory benefits.
- Fermented foods
Fermented foods are an excellent source of many nutrients, including enzymes. Cabbage, pickles, yogurt from unsterile milk, cheese has “live” enzymes accompanied by beneficial probiotics, which are an excellent combination for an effective digestive process.
If you don’t want to add these foods to your diet, because you are not willing to change your lifestyle or you don’t like the taste of them, you can get proteolytic enzymes (help break up proteins) via supplementation. One of the best supplements out there is MassZymes. Before you jump right in looking for reviews, I suggest you read this MassZymes Review by well-known health and longevity blog, FoodNurish.com
