The Important Role of Digestive Enzymes.

Digestive enzymes are responsible for breaking down what you eat into smaller particles so vital nutrients can be passed into the bloodstream. Enzymes are proteins produced by the body to trigger specific chemical reactions and change one substance into another. In the digestive system, enzymes are vital to the chemical processing of food in the gastrointestinal tract.

As food moves through the tract, it is exposed to enzymes, stomach acids and bile, all of which help reduce it into smaller and smaller pieces that can be absorbed by the intestines. The more effective this process, the healthier you will feel. Even the best dietary habits won’t do you much good if your body isn’t producing the enzymes it needs to properly break down your food. In other words, you aren’t so much what you eat as what you digest!

When your system is deficient in digestive enzymes, it is more difficult to access the nutrients from your food. Some of the reasons you may not be producing enough of these enzymes include:

• Age
• A diet too rich in bad fats
• An underperforming digestive tract
• Certain medications
• Certain medications

By adopting a healthier lifestyle, you can kickstart the production of essential enzymes such as protease (which breaks down proteins), amylase (which breaks down carbohydrates) and cellulase (which breaks down the cellulose in plant cells). Foods that contain natural digestive enzymes include:

• Honey *
• Pineapples **
• Bananas ***
• Kiwis ****
• Ginger *****

The therapeutic properties of some plants such as gentian can also aid in digestion.****** Our ESSENTIA digestive enzyme formula contains gentian to help relieve digestive upset and stimulate the appetite. Make ESSENTIA your ally in staying healthy this holiday season!

*https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24305429/
**https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23304525/
***https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1846/2
****https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17729399/
*****https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10702999/
*****https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10702999/
******https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2272286/