If you often feel heavy, bloated or painful in the stomach, as well as drowsiness, it's time to analyze the contents of your plate!
It may be a " banal ", as many people think, lack of enzymes, but actually things could be more serious than they seem…
Lack of enzymes in the body can cause everything from digestive imbalances to serious illness. What's more, the consequences of enzyme deficiency aren't just physical, they can also affect you psychologically, as the brain needs enzymes to maintain its optimal function.
You can read more about the vital role of enzymes for humans in one of my previous articles.
This time, however, I've come up with some nutritional recommendations, namely to suggest these 10 enzyme-rich products that you should definitely include in your diet:
1. Pineapple
Pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that makes it easier to digest protein foods. This enzyme not only improves digestion, but also has fibrinolytic, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory and anti-edema effects. Therefore, it is recommended for patients with blood clotting disorders, the presence of edema syndrome of cardiogenic or nephrogenic genesis, as well as in autoimmune diseases.
2. Papaya
This delicious fruit contains papain, which is also a digestive enzyme that plays an important role in reducing abdominal bloating and preventing autointoxication caused by undigested proteins. Papaya should also be consumed by people with irritable bowel syndrome. However, it is strictly forbidden for people with a history of allergies and pregnancy.
3. Mango
Mangoes contain the enzyme amylase, which helps break down complex carbohydrates. The enzyme activity in mangoes increases as the fruit ripens. Amylase is usually produced by the pancreas and is also found in saliva. Therefore, mango is also recommended for people with oral atrophic pathologies and pancreatic external secretory insufficiency.
4. Bananas
Like mangoes, bananas contain amylase. According to science, the enzymes are most active only in ripe and sweet bananas. Green fruits are practically useless for digestion, but contain more vitamins.
Bananas also contain a huge amount of fiber, which is very useful for digestion.
5. Avocado
The fruit is rich in lipase, an enzyme that ensures the absorption of fat from food. Avocados are recommended for diseases of the pancreas, as it produces the main amount of lipase in the human body. There is almost no sugar in this fruit, so it can be consumed with diabetes.
6. Kiwi
Kiwi is often recommended for improving digestion. It contains a lot of fruit acids, but also a protease called actinidin, which effectively breaks down proteins and helps digest food. Kiwifruit can reduce the intensity of symptoms such as bloating or constipation.
7. Ginger
Ginger contains zingibaine, an enzyme responsible for breaking down proteins. Another important property of ginger is that it stimulates the production of the body's own enzymes.
Ginger also stimulates intestinal transit by acting on the smooth muscles of the digestive system, thereby greatly increasing the rate of gastric emptying.
8. Honey
Honey contains a wide range of digestive enzymes. It improves the breakdown and subsequent assimilation of almost all major food substances (starch, sucrose, proteins), with the exception of fats.
It is important to note that only natural honey that has not been thermally processed has useful properties.
9. Kimchi
The fermentation process promotes the formation of digestive enzymes. Not only cabbage, but also other pickles contain various enzymes, especially cucumbers. According to researchers, Korean kimchi has many catalysts that aid in the digestion of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. It is an antioxidant that lowers blood cholesterol levels, slows down the formation of malignant cells and the aging process.
10. Kefir
Kefir is made from fermented milk to which kefir grains are added. This drink contains the following enzymes: lipase, protease, and lactase. The most valuable is lactase – an enzyme that hydrolyzes lactose in milk and improves its absorption in various disorders accompanied by lactose intolerance.
In addition to the foods listed above, natural enzymes are also found in garlic, onions, radishes, raw carrots and beets, sprouted grains (except wheat), and soft cheeses.
These foods are present in the diet of most long-livers. They are an excellent prevention of gastrointestinal diseases.
However, you should remember that there are foods that block the action of useful enzymes. Digestion of such food takes a long time. These foods often cause gas formation in the intestines and are the culprits of constipation. These foods include: egg whites, legumes (peas, beans and lentils), nuts and seeds.
If you have digestive problems, these foods should be used in your diet in limited amounts.
You need to know this: The life-giving power of food is enzymes, and enzymes are the key to health. Without enzymes, minerals, vitamins, and hormones cannot function. It is enzymes that control the formation of our bodies. You can have everything – proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins – but without functioning enzymes, your body cannot begin the process of renewal, repair, purification, creation.
That's why adding enzyme-containing foods to your diet is a vital necessity. Keep this in mind as you think about what to eat today.