Enzymes: Why Raw Foodists Think They Are Better Than You

You’re a skeptic. All these bubbly “raw food people” are running around with energy and glowing skin get on your last meat-eating nerve and you just don’t get it. You find yourself wondering more often than not, exactly what’s the big deal with broccoli, carrots, whatever? To you it may look like too much work or just inconvenient to join the cult of those who proclaim that they’ve found the fountain of youth in some sprouts and wheat grass. Yet, something inside you yearns to understand what really makes these high-brow organic-loving hemp-wearing raw foodies believe that their diet is really higher in quality in comparison to cooked, processed foods. Fact is, when you eat raw foods you are consuming all of the light energy, vitamins, minerals and enzymes in their highest form.

You may have heard about the whole “enzyme” thing before,  but you may not know exactly what enzymes are and how can they make you feel and look better? Enzymes are complex proteins that act as catalysts in almost every biochemical process taking place in the body. So, in our bodies they make things happen all around from breathing to talking. To get a little deeper, enzymes are either digestive, metabolic, or food enzymes. Food enzymes, which are what are important to support our argument, are enzymes we get from consuming raw foods that initiate the digestion of food in the mouth and upper stomach. So when you eat a delicious red apple, there are enzymes within that apple that are already intact and ready to help the apple digest itself in your body (predigestion). The digestive enzymes in our body have three main jobs: digesting protein ( protease enzymes), carbohydrates (amylase enzymes), or fats (lipase enzymes).

When food is cooked above 118 Degrees F, the enzymes are destroyed and the body is left to provide all of the enzymes to digest that meal; which depletes your enzyme supply and uses a great deal of energy that could have been conserved. Digestive enzymes are manufactured by the pancreas to break down cooked foods and over time put strain on the body. Think about it this way, if your pancreas has to continuously create enzymes that should have been in your food to break it down, over time this could result in inhibited function of the pancreas! According to Dr. Edward Howell, a pioneer in enzyme research, the result is a shorter life span, illness, and lowered resistance to stress of all kinds. In addition he added that in humans and animals who eat primarily cooked food diets, the pancreas organs are enlarged and other glands and organs including the brain shrink! All of this in tandem with  consumption of the full light energy and nutrition of foods contributes to the reasons why raw foodies  are able to maintain high energy, stay disease-free, and sustain a very youthful appearance for many years.

If you are ever feeling indigestion or bloating, enzymes may be the answer. Important to note, foods that are undigested sit in the intestines, rot, and create a toxic environment in your colon. Add more food on top of that, and you’ve got a recipe for some serious gas. Besides getting enzymes from raw foods there are enzyme supplements you can buy at your local health food store which you can use to optimize your digestion and alleviate unpleasant symptoms. Make sure to get recommendations on enzyme supplements that deliver results. You can also boost your enzyme intake by eating fermented foods where they are found in abundance. Don’t forget, it’s important to also chew your food thoroughly so that your body can better utilize the enzymes in your food and optimize digestion and assimilation.

Now that you know a little more about enzymes, perhaps you can understand why those grass-eating hippie-loving raw vegans think they are better than you flesh lovers. They are playing for team Veggie and we got a whole lot of enzymes and life force going on! *(Neck roll, finger snap!)* It’s up to you whether or not you choose to sit on the sidelines sick and sulking or get in the game of optimal health. –XoXo Raw Girl