Food Enzymes

For every chemical reaction that occurs in the body, enzymes provide the stimulus. You might even think of them as the "manual laborers" that build the body from proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Each cell of our bodies requires enzymes to function optimally and without sufficient enzymes our bodies are unable to digest food properly.

With those facts in mind, consider that the body has a finite amount of enzymes. Studies show that when we are younger we have a greater reserve of enzymes. This supports the assertion that higher enzyme levels equal greater longevity. This enzyme reserve is depleted daily by our consumption of an enzyme-deficient diet of cooked foods. In fact if you are not eating 75% to 80% raw foods you are forcing your body's organs, such as the pancreas, to produce all of the needed enzymes. The result of this is enlargement of the digestive organs, metabolic deficiencies and improper digestion.

It has been shown that people suffering from chronic disease have lower enzymes levels. In fact, leukocytes (white blood cells) contain enzymes that assist the destruction of foreign invaders. After a meal of cooked foods, white blood cell counts increase suggesting the body must call upon these leukocytes for aid in proper digestion. The result is a weakening of immune function.

It is unrealistic for most people to maintain a diet of primarily raw foods making supplementation imperative. Plant enzymes (like those found in plant based enzymes and raw food) digest 5-75% of our food in the first 30 minutes to an hour after eating. Without the help of these enzymes, cooked foods digest more slowly, if it all. This can result in fermentation, gas, indigestion, bloating, toxicity, lethargy, allergies and disease.

There are four categories of plant enzymes:

• Protease for digesting proteins,
• Amalyse for digesting startches,
• Lipase for digesting fats and
• Cellulase for digesting plant cellulose.

Enzymes are a lot like the players on a sports team. Offensive players don't play defense and defensive players don't play offense. Similarly protein enzymes don't digest fat, fat enzymes don't digest starches, starch enzymes don't digest proteins and so on. Therefore, it is essential for us to consume ample amounts of plant enzymes through raw foods and supplementation in order to digest our foods properly and leave the body's self-produced enzymes available to maintain metabolic harmony and cellular function.