Enzymes are proteins that act as catalysts to induce chemical changes in other substances without undergoing change themselves. Enzymes are composed of two components: Protein is the first component called apoenzymes; The second part is the prosthetic group, which are the cofactors or coenzymes to initiate the functioning enzymes. Enzymes are found in all live foods. Fruits and vegetables contain enough enzymes to digest that particular food in the body. When you cut an apple the brown as it turns brown is the indicator that enzymes have already begun the process of breaking down that apple. Once a food has been heated about 175 degrees enzymes become inactivated. The average American diet doesn’t contain enough live foods. As we age we also decrease our enzyme stores in our body, making digestion more difficult. The consequences of poor digestion leads to overall organ and gland burden, leading to the disease process.

Undigested food particles in the body create putrefaction and toxins that get absorbed into the blood stream.

• Lectins in the blood form platelet aggregation
• Digestive leukocytosis
• Immune stress and increase in food allergies
• Feeding of diseased cells and tissues
• Bowel Toxicity
• Constipation
• Bacterial Imbalances

Different types of enzymes breakdown specific food groups.

Protease - Protease hydrolyzes proteins. The split large polypeptide and breaking and adding a molecule of water to the broken ends and forming smaller polypeptides. These are then absorbed into the blood where they bind to serum proteins and are utilized by the tissues involved with the immune function. Plant or food protease has been proven to be effective in dissolving blood clots. Undigested proteins can also feed altered cells in the body. A decrease in this enzyme increases one’s ability to have intestinal worms, protozoa, gastrointestinal infections and Candida. Protease plays a supportive role with pancreatic function that can be directly related to food allergies.

Amylase - Amylase digests Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates require multiple steps for digestion and are one of the hardest food substrates for the body to digest. Amylase is found in its natural state in grains and fruits. Amylase digest starches and complex carbohydrates. Digestion of these food groups begins in the mouth. Chewing these to a liquid state is very important.

Glucoamylase - Glucoamylase is an enzyme that breaks down raffinose and stachyose. Glucoamylase breaks down glucosides into simple sugars that the body can’t digest. Glucoamylase only substrate is of the starch family. Rafinose and stachyose are abundant in beans, peas, nuts, and seeds. This family of foods can be very tough to digest. Undigested foods like these remain in the gut, where bacteria feed on them. This creates fermentation and lots of gas.

Lipase - Lipase digests fats. Fats are hydrolyzed by lipase into monoglycerides and fatty acids. Many studies are being conducted concerning the use of Lipase with chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancers, and malabsorption abnormalities, myocardial infarction and cholesterol and triglycerides issues.

Cellulase - Cellulase is an enzyme, which breaks down nondigestible fiber found in plants. This helps to support moving the nutrients found in cellulose to be released and absorbed. Cellulase cleaves internal glycosidic linkages. The body can not break down cellulose on it’s own (Indigestible fibers). Using cellulase enzymes will enhance herbal digestion and absorption, green drink absorption, raw vegetable digestion with leaving the fiber still available for good bowel cleansing.

Invertase - Invertase breaks sucrose down into glucose and fructose so they can be readily absorbed into the blood stream. This enzyme is found in the highest concentration in the small intestine. This plays an important part in the insulin factor.

Lactase - Lactase breaks down lactose found in dairy products. This enzyme catalyzes the hydrolytic cleavage of lactose to galactose and glucose and also cleaves terminal nonreducing galactose residues from some B-glycosides.

Alpha-Galactosidase - This enzyme is present in cellular lysosomes. Without this enzyme beans and food rich in galactose bonds would go undigested and turn into bacteria in the colon….gas as a result.

Enzymes taken with foods assist in the digestion of the foods. Enzymes taken on an empty stomach will assist the body with disease support. Enzymes should not be taken with hot water or be subjected to high temperatures, which will render them useless. Protease should not be taken if there are concerns about ulceration in the digestive system.