Save Enzymes! Raw Foods Preserve these Vital Players in the Digestive Process

Chef Brooke fully understood the importance of enzymes, she was more than excited to give up the stove and oven. “Save the Enzymes!” became her battle cry. It may become yours as well when you come to understand the importance of enzymes.

The first question may be, “What exactly are food enzymes? “ Enzymes are found in all raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds and act as catalysts which cause chemical reactions and help break down the foods we eat. Enzymes are essential to the body’s ability to derive nutrients through the digestive process. As soon as we put a bite of food into our mouths and start to chew, enzymes are secreted from the salivary glands to start breaking down food.

Saliva contains enzymes that break down carbohydrates (starch) into smaller molecules. This process continues along the digestive tract. In the stomach, food is broken down by a combination of acid and enzymes. In the small intestine pancreatic enzymes, and other digestive enzymes produced by the inner wall of the small intestine assist with further breakdown of food. Enzymes from the pancreas help in the digestion of carbohydrates, fats and proteins in the small intestine. Without sufficient enzyme activity, the body’s capacity to digest food is vastly diminished and the body’s ability to absorb nutrients is tremendously compromised.

When we eat raw foods, we are able to take full advantage of the enzymes present in the food and our bodies are taxed less to provide additional enzymes to complete digestion. Conversely, when we eat cooked foods, enzymes are destroyed and the full burden to digest the food is placed on the body. Temperatures greater than 118 degrees destroy enzymes and render them useless. This is why years of eating a diet of cooked and processed foods leaves the body overtaxed and deficient in enzymes.

Research suggests that eating high enzyme foods is beneficial for digestion and that the body can recycle many of the enzymes in food. This means less depletion of the body’s own store of enzymes. In addition, while food provides us with energy, when we consume food that is void of enzymes, our bodies are forced to work harder to digest what we have eaten. This takes energy which could be used elsewhere in the body. When we eat raw foods, the body is not diverting as much energy to digesting food and is able to more efficiently process the food and obtain greater benefit. This manifests itself in increased energy levels, vitality and potentially slowing the aging process.

To start taking advantage of the benefits of enzymes, be conscious of incorporating as much raw food into your daily intake as possible. If it is too overwhelming to go 100% raw, find what works for you. Even if you convert to eating one meal per day raw, you will have decreased the amount of enzymes your body would have used to digest a cooked meal. Any raw fruit or vegetable is full of enzymes and is ready to eat when fully ripe. When consuming nuts and sees, soaking is recommended to activate the enzymes. So the next time you think about turning on the stove, think twice and remember to “Save the enzymes!”