The natural enzymes in your body are used to break down foods, and certain nutrients and sugars as they enter your system. These enzymes are secreted by different parts of your body for different purposes.

“Some of these digestive enzymes come from the pancreas, others are produced in the stomach, while still others are secreted by the salivary glands and glands in the small intestines.” – Dr. David Williams

One way to consider an enzyme at work is to think about those who suffer from lactose intolerance. Lactose is a naturally occurring form of sugar found in milk, and lactase is the enzyme that a regularly functioning body produces in order to properly break it down. If you don’t produce lactase, or only produce it in small amounts then your body is unable to break down the sugars found in milk, which is what causes those with lactose intolerance to be unable to drink milk without becoming sick.

Gaining The Most Enzyme Benefits From Your Foods

Believe it or not there are certain foods that are packed with naturally occurring enzymes, many of these are actually fruits and vegetables, the only catch is that you should always choose fresh produce if you’re looking to gain any benefit from their enzymes.

“Pick a fruit or vegetable that is less than ripe and then ship it via cold storage to your local grocers and it may have less than 10% of the enzymes of a fresh picked ripe fruit or vegetable.” – Natural News

Unfortunately, not even fresh fruit and vegetables can be counted on in modern times for the appropriate amount of nutrients and enzymes necessary for a healthy diet. Mineral-deficient land and farms that have been over used give fewer minerals per crop. This is especially true in comparison to years before.

More Than Just A Digestive Helper

Digestive enzymes help to break down and use all the nutrients that foods offer up when they enter your system, but this isn’t the only rule that they can play in your life. Digestive enzymes can aid in the elimination of chemicals and toxins in your system, and even go so far as to aid in the removal of unhealthy and scarred tissue inside of you. Your enzymes also work like a catalyst to help your body to absorb the vitamins and minerals that you eat with your food. Without this capability, you wouldn’t gain any benefit from taking a multivitamin, or trying to eat healthy for the nutritious qualities. Anti-aging, and a reduction in stomach problems such as gas and bloating, and food allergies are also assisted through this process.

Finding The Right Enzymes

Although your body should produce the enzymes needed to break down much of what you eat, for those missing these enzymes there are alternative methods to consider. Some digestive enzymes can be found in tablet form, while others come in drops. Some items, like specialty milk, are actually formulated with the addition of a certain missing enzyme, so that lactase is already added to the beverage.