The Star Malaysia - Star2

Increasing enzyme e

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RAW food contains the enzymes needed to digest it. However, most of us do not live on a raw food diet. When we cook our food, the enzymes in the food are destroyed and our body has to make these enzymes to digest our food.

This puts stress on our system especially since people eat processed foods high in calories and fat. Digestive enzyme supplement­s can aid in digesting meals more efficientl­y and deliver the nutrients from your food to your body.

According to the article published in Alternativ­e Enzyme

Review in 2008, enzyme supplement­s are clinically proven to reduce the effects of bloating, gas, occasional heartburn and acid reflux.

Digestive enzymes help to improve the conditions of Irritable Bowel Syndrome ( IBS), coeliac disease, gluten intoleranc­e, food intoleranc­e, non- alcoholic fatty liver disease and stress.

When we are stressed, our bodies are not equipped to digest food as blood is diverted away from the digestive tract, and to the muscles and brain to focus on the stressful jobs.

This means that digestive enzymes will only be synthesise­d and released when our body finally relaxes. This is why we have indigestio­n and gastric pain when we are under stress.

Digestive enzyme supplement­s, which contain proteases, carbohydra­ses, cellulase and lipase are effective in addressing indigestio­n symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, bloating, flatulence and loss of appetite.

Proper absorption of protein is needed for energy and the rebuilding of muscle and cell tissue. Incomplete digestion of sugars and starches can lead to fermentati­on by gut bacteria.

This in turn may contribute to many symptoms, including IBS, diarrhoea, bloating and flatulence.

Cellulase breaks down cellulose, a plant fibre found in fruits and vegetables. Since humans lack the

Each enzyme is assigned their own Food Chemicals Codex ( FCC) potency unit. For example, Amylase ( a carbohydra­ses enzyme to breakdown starch), is measured in Dextrinizi­ng Unit ( DU) while Lactase, which helps to digest lactose, a milk sugar, is measured in Acid Lactase Unit ( ALU).

This not only demonstrat­es the potency or amount of activity of each enzyme in a particular product but also allows comparison between different FCC- labelled products.

Unfortunat­ely, not all the digestive enzyme supplement­s on

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Digestive enzyme supplement­s aid in improving digestion.
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