Digest Gold
Enzymes: The Energy of Life
Have you ever asked yourself, `How is it possible that I am sick even though I eat organic foods and am very careful with my diet?’ The answer most likely revolves around an ENZYME DEFICIENCY. An enzyme deficiency can manifest itself as a variety of conditions.
The most well-known symptoms of enzyme deficiency are indigestion and gas. But did you know that there are a host of other health challenges in which an enzyme-deficient diet can play a role? To understand how one could become enzyme-deficient, a person has to understand that cooked foods have no live, viable enzyme activity left. So many people today eat mostly cooked foods. Even when we eat raw foods, we typically only get the enzymes needed to digest the food itself and supply our body with those nutrients. There are not enzymes left over for taking care of all the other fast foods, fried foods, sugary foods, white flour foods, etc. Add to this the fact that stress depletes enzymes and it becomes easier to see how a person could be enzyme-deficient, even if they regularly eat some raw foods. Age is a factor too because while it is true that our body can make enzymes, it makes less as we grow older.
Enzymes are needed for every chemical reaction that takes place in the body.
Enzymes are catalysts. Enzymes are connected to every working organ in our body and run our life’s processes. Without enzymes, we die. Enzymes are needed by vitamins and minerals to accomplish their delivery within the body. Enzymes are required by all food for digest. Enzymes are destroyed by cooking and processing food. Enzymes can prevent partially digested proteins from putrefying, carbohydrates from fermenting, and fats from turning rancid within your system. Enzymes from a plant based source become active as soon as they enter the body. Enzymes from an animal source are only active within the small intestine in an alkaline setting of 8.0 pH.
What Are Enzymes?
Enzymes are energized protein molecules found in all living cells. They catalyze and regulate all biochemical reactions that occur within the human body. They are also instrumental in digestion. They break down proteins, fats, carbohydrates and fiber making it possible to benefit from the nutrients found in those foods while removing the toxins. Enzymes turn the food we eat into energy and unlock this energy for use in the body. Their presence and strength can be determined by improved blood and immune system functions.
Types of Enzymes
There are three types of enzymes. Our bodies naturally produce two types, digestive and metabolic enzymes as they are needed, while food enzymes can only be consumed orally.
Metabolic Enzymes speed up the chemical reaction within the cells for detoxification and energy production. They enable us to see, hear, feel, move and think. Every organ, every tissue, and all 100 trillion cells in our body depend upon the reaction of metabolic enzymes and their energy factor. Metabolic enzymes are produced by every living cell. However, the liver, pancreas, gallbladder and other organs play a vital role in their production.
Digestive Enzymes are secreted along the digestive tract to break food down into nutrients and waste. This allows nutrients to be absorbed into the blood stream and the waste to be discarded. Human digestive enzymes include ptyalin, pepsin, trypsin, lipase, protease, and amylase. The body does not make cellulase, an enzyme necessary for proper digestion of fiber, so it must be introduced through the raw foods we eat.
Food Enzymes are introduced to the body through the raw foods we eat and through consumption of supplemental enzyme fortifiers. Raw foods naturally contain enzymes, providing a source of digestive enzymes when ingested. However, raw food manifests only enough enzymes to digest that particular food, not enough to have any support systemically. The cooking and processing of food destroys all of its enzymes. Since most of the foods we eat are cooked or processed in some way and since the raw foods we do eat contain only enough enzymes to process that particular food, our bodies must produce the majority of the digestive enzymes we require. For these reasons it is recommended that we supplement our diet with enzymes.
The following is a summary of the plant and plant-based enzymes included in Enzymedica Digest Gold:
Alpha-Galactosidase
- Breaks down carbohydrates, such as raffinose, and stachyose.*
- Especially helpful with the digestion of raw vegetables and beans.*
- Measured in GALU (Galactosidase Units).
Amylase (Carbohydrase)
- Breaks down carbohydrates such as starch and glycogen, and polysaccarides into smaller units.*
- Measured in SKB and DU (Dextrinizing Units).
Betaglucanase
- Breaks down beta D-glucan components.*
- Betaglucanase helps break down beta-linked glucose bonds often associated with grains, such as barley, oats and wheat.*
- Measured in BGU (Betaglucanase Units)
Bromelain
- Breaks down protein.*
- Beneficial for reducing normal inflammation in the body.*
- Measured in GDU (Gelatin Digesting Units and FCCPU. 2400 GDU = 50,000,000 FCCPU).
Catalase
- Breaks hydrogen peroxide down into water and oxygen.*
- One of the most potent antioxidants.*
- Measured in Baker Units.
Cellulase
- Breaks down cellulose and chitin (chitin is cellulose like fiber found in the cell wall of Candida).*
- Helps free nutrients in both fruits and vegetables.*
- Measured in CU (Cellulase Units).
Diastase
- Breaks down carbohydrates, malt and grain sugars.*
- Breaks down complex and simple sugars.*
- Measured in DP (Degrees of Diastatic Power).
Glucoamylase
- Breaks down carbohydrates, specifically polysaccharides into glucose.*
- Measured in AG (Amyloglucosidase Units).*
Hemicellulase
- Breaks down carbohydrates.*
- Especially helpful with polysaccharides found in plant foods.*
- Measured in HCU (Hemicellulase Units).
Invertase (Sucrase)
- Breaks down carbohydrates, especially sucrose.*
- Measured in INVU (Invertase Activity Units).
Lactase
- Breaks down lactose (milk sugar).*
- Used for lactose intolerance.*
- Measured in ALU (Lactase Units).
Lipase
- Breaks down lipids and improves fat utilization.*
- Supports gallbladder function.*
Maltase (Diastase, Malt Diastase)
- Breaks down carbohydrates, malt and grain sugars.*
- Breaks down complex and simple sugars.*
- Measured in DP (Degrees of Diastatic Power).
Nattokinase
- Breaks down inappropriate cross linked protein.*
- For promoting cardiovascular health, inhibits ACE, reduces C-Reactive Protein.*
- Measured in FU (Fibrinolytic Units).
Papain
- Breaks down protein.*
- For reducing normal inflammation in the body.*
- Measured in FCCPU (Papain Units).
Pectinase
- Breaks down carbohydrates, such as pectin found in many fruits and vegetables.*
- Measured in endo-Pgu. (Pectinase units)
Protease
- Breaks down protein.*
- Bonds with alpha 2-macroglobulin to support immune function when taken on an empty stomach.*
- Measured in HUT (Hemoglobin Units in a Tyrosine Base).
Phytase
- Breaks down carbohydrates.*
- Especially helpful in breaking down phytic acid found in the leaves of plants.*
- Helps with mineral absorption.*
- Measured in endo-Pgu (Phytase Units).
Sucrase
- Breaks down carbohydrates, especially sucrose.*
- Measured in INVU (Invertase Activity Units).
Xylanase
- A type of Hemmicellulase found in grains.
- Breaks down soluble fiber.
- Measured in XU (Xylanase Units).
