Enzymes are ‘sparks’ that trigger chemical reactions that are essential to the body's survival. Enzymes are necessary for food digestion, brain stimulation, and cellular energy supplies and to repair all tissues, organs and cells. A book by Humbart Santillo, BSc, HM, called Food Enzymes, cites a Scottish medical journal that gives a good description of the role of enzymes: “Just like all living organisms, each of us could be thought of as a succession of integrated and coordinated enzymatic reactions’.

There are three types of enzymes: metabolic enzymes, digestive enzymes and food enzymes.

Metabolic Enzymes catalyze or trigger reactions within cells. Body organs, tissues and cells function properly, thanks to metabolic enzymes. Without them, our bodies would no longer function. In particular, these enzymes help in converting calcium and phosphorous into bone tissue, binding iron to our red blood cells, healing wounds and controlling our heart beat.

Digestive Enzymes are secreted by the stomach, pancreas, etc, to break down food, which allows nutrients to enter the blood stream and to be used in bodily functions. These enzymes allow us to get the highest possible nutrient value from food. Digestive enzymes include protease, which digest protein; amylase, which digests carbohydrates; lipase, which digests fats and oils; and maltase, which digests malt sugars and grains.

Food Enymes are enzymes found in the food we eat. They include digestive enzymes and also enzymes that are unique to different foods. Food enzymes help us ‘predigest’ food, meaning that they start breaking down food. Raw foods alone digest from 5-75% of food without the help of other enzymes. In this way, our bodies’ digestive enzymes are helped in the digestive process, which spares our ‘internal’ reserves from being depleted.

Dr. Edward Howell, who has written two books on enzymes, postulates that humans receive a limited amount of enzymatic energy at birth and that it is up to us to restock our enzyme supplies in order to ensure that their vital work can be carried out. If we do not, we risk becoming sick.

According to his assertion on enzymatic nutrition, Howell states that ‘Lifespan is inversely proportional to the rate that the enzymatic potential of the body is depleted. Increasing the use of food enzymes reduces the depletion of enzymatic potential. In other words, the more you increase your enzyme intake, the longer you will live and the healthier you will be.

The key is remembering that food enzymes are destroyed at temperature above 118 F (48 C). This means that cooked and processed foods contain very few enzymes, if any at all, and that the diet typical in industrialized countries is enzyme-deficient. When we eat cooked and processed food, this can definitely translate into a less than satisfactory state of health and a shorter lifespan.

This brings us to the importance of eating raw fruits and vegetables, as they are ‘living foods, or foods with active enzymes. The more you increase your enzyme intake, the healthier you will be. And the more raw foods you eat, the more enzymes you will take in.

The benefits of increased enzyme intake are numerous. As previously indicated, adding enzymes to the diet helps replenish the enzymatic reserves of the body, which can lead to a longer and healthier life. Digestive enzymes help us digest the food better. This translates into better assimilation of nutrients (and maybe eating less food!) and improved health.

There is another advantage to ensuring that food is properly digested: when it is not, it stays in the stomach, where it can spoil and cause putrefaction. This leads to an accumulation of waste in the colon. This fecal matter then begins to decompose, which produces bacteria and toxins. These toxins eventually penetrate the walls of the intestines to travel through the blood capillaries throughout the rest of the body. This can lead to health problems, such as constipation, bloating, digestive problems, gas, fatigue, weight gain or weight loss, headaches and many others. Digestive enzymes ensure the complete digestion of foods, which helps eliminate potential problems caused by toxins. Food allergies and illness they cause, including eczema, asthma and auto-immune diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis), should be added to this list. Enzymes are therefore precious allies that we must consume in the form of food in order to optimize health.

By TTS Cofounder Botanical Chef Omid Jaffari