A look at enzymes

"Food is composed not only of protein, carbohydrates, fats, fibers, vitamins, and minerals, but also enzymes."1 What are enzymes and why are they important?

According to Dr. Howard Loomis, author of Enzymes: The Key to Health, life is not able to exist without enzymes and all living things contain enzymes.1 He goes on to explain that "enzymatic activity is responsible for every biochemical reaction that occurs in living matter."1 Why does that matter to me? Because I am living matter! That means that my body can only function properly if I have the right amount of enzymes working in me.

Dr. Loomis and others believe that enzyme deficiency may underlie many degenerative diseases. How do we become enzyme deficient? Enzymes are nutrients and must come from the foods we eat.1 However, not all foods contains enzymes at the point when we eat them. Cooked and processed foods have had their enzymes destroyed.

Food manufacturers understand that enzymes are responsible for ripening and eventually spoiling fresh food, and thus, "enzymes must be removed from our food supply in order for food products to achieve extended shelf life."1 This is achieved by heating and processing foods. What is important to understand is that these are the very same enzymes that help our bodies to assimilate and digest food and its associated nutrients. Most canned, bottled, and processed foods do not contain the enzymes necessary for good health.

How can we make sure we are getting enough enzymes? By eating raw foods! Raw fruits, vegetables, and other foods are teeming with enzymes. The same enzymes critical to every body function. The same enzymes required for healthy digestion. The same enzymes that vitamins and minerals need to perform their essential functions.

Can I cook my vegetables? Of course you can, but you may not be getting the health benefits from your veggies that you once thought. Consider this: enzymes are destroyed at 118 degrees fahrenheit.1 So, cooking them actually strips them of their most vital functions.

We may actually be enzyme deficient if we haven't been eating lots of raw foods our whole lives. Digestive discomfort of any kind may be pointing to enzyme deficiency. In other words, we may not have enough digestive enzymes to properly digest our foods and to assimilate nutrients, paving the way for disease. Many natural health experts recommend that we consume more raw foods and that we take a good plant-based digestive enzyme before every meal.

1Loomis, H. 2007. Enzymes: the key to health. 21st Century: Madison, WI.