There’s no way around it, one of the biggest factors that make a great season, are the great foods that accompany them. Freshly grilled foods on a perfect summer day. Pumpkin spice latte in the autumn. The grand feasts that take place each winter with family and friends. Food and drinks are a cornerstone of the human experience. 

Have you ever considered the ways in which your body processes what you eat and drink? Your digestive system never stops trying to get the most from everything you consume. Enzymes, in particular, are proteins that aid in digestion. So let’s explore more about enzymes as a key part of gut health along with some of the symptoms that stem from occasional digestive issues.

The Importance of Enzymes

Enzymes play an important role in the digestion and absorption of nutrients in the body. These are highly specialized proteins that facilitate chemical reactions, breaking down complex molecules of the foods we eat and reducing them into simpler forms that can be used by the body. In the context of digestion, enzymes are responsible for breaking down food into smaller components that are absorbed and used for energy and other bodily functions. By boosting enzyme production or supplementing with digestive enzymes, you may experience relief from or fewer instances of bloating, indigestion, heartburn & food tolerances. That can help ensure that every meal is not only enjoyable while eating, but more importantly it’s not disruptive to your gut afterwards.

Digestive Enzymes

The delivery system of enzymes begins in the mouth, where the enzyme amylase is present in saliva and triggers the digestion of carbohydrates. As food travels through the digestive tract, it comes in contact with different enzymes in the stomach, pancreas, and small intestines.

Stomach: Gastric glands produce the enzyme pepsin, which helps break down proteins into smaller peptide fragments.

Pancreas: A key organ involved in digestion, the pancreas produces and releases a variety of digestive enzymes into the small intestine. These include amylase, lipase, and proteases, each of which helps break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Small Intestine: This is where most of the digestion and absorption of nutrients occur. The lining of the small intestine produces several enzymes, including maltase, sucrase, and lactase, which help break down complex sugars (such as maltose, sucrose, and lactose) into simpler forms (glucose, fructose, and galactose) for absorption.

This process occurs as the food and drink we consume travels through our digestive system and ensures that food is efficiently broken down in order for the body to efficiently absorb the nutrients. What the body does not want, or can’t absorb, is eliminated as waste.

Did you know there are proactive steps you can take to help your body produce more digestive enzymes. One step involves a well-balanced diet with enzyme-rich foods like pineapple and papaya or fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, or miso. Exercise can also aid digestion by increasing blood flow to the organs that comprise our gut, improving nutrient delivery and overall function. Remember mom or grandma scolding you to “chew your food…”? She was right! Chewing food for longer periods of time breaks it down into smaller particles and mixes it with enzyme-laden saliva to help initiate the digestion process.

Enzyme Supplements Can Help

What if you don’t like pineapple or papaya? Or perhaps you don’t have a taste for sauerkraut or miso. Supplementing your diet with quality enzyme formulas is another proactive step to help boost your body’s digestive effectiveness. Pure Essentials has a variety of supplements dedicated to digestion, enzymes, and gut health.

Pure Essentials' Ultra Digestive Enzyme contains three enzymes that specifically assist with the digestion of animal proteins. Proteolytic helps with the digestion of proteins, Lipolytic encourages digestion of fats, and Polysaccharolyctic for complex carbohydrates and relief of bloating and indigestion.

Pure Essentials' Carb & Gluten Assist helps address the digestion of carbs and gluten, so the pasta on a cheat day won't come back to haunt you in the morning. Equipped with proteolytic and polysaccharolyctic enzymes as well to aid in breaking down the peptides in some grains high in gluten, Carb & Gluten Assist also contains herbal prebiotic plant fibers for gastrointestinal health as well as probiotics to help keep the gut in a healthy balance.

Understanding Irritable bowel syndrome

IBS is a common gastrointestinal disorder - or a collective group of various gut health issues - and affects the large intestine and digestive system. Irritable bowel often presents as recurring abdominal pain, discomfort, and changes in bowel habits. It's considered a functional disorder, which means there are no structural or biochemical abnormalities that can be detected through routine medical tests.

The exact cause of IBS is not fully understood yet, but several factors are believed to contribute to its development. These include abnormal muscle contractions in the intestines, increased sensitivity to pain in the digestive system, and disturbances in the communication between the brain and the gut. Factors such as genetics, and certain triggers like stress or foods that can cause intestinal inflammation and changes in the gut microbiome may also play a role.

Managing IBS typically involves a combination of approaches tailored to each individual. This can include diet modification and paying close attention to which foods trigger symptoms. Dietary changes may involve identifying and avoiding trigger foods, such as certain types of carbohydrates, caffeine, and alcohol.

Stress management techniques like meditation or yoga can help. Lifestyle adjustments like regular exercise, reducing alcohol consumption, and getting enough rest to activate the body's "rest and digest" state have also been shown as potentially helpful in reducing gut discomfort. 

Want to learn more about the current state of your gut health? Our Gut Health Quiz takes just a few minutes and you’ll receive a brief overview including what may be causing gut issues and which supplements might help improve your gut health. Or, maybe you’re a Gut Warrior and your needs are more about maintaining good digestive health rather than addressing issues. Whichever the case, every body has different needs. Could boosting enzyme activity help? Carb & Gluten Assist or Ultra Digestive Enzyme? Our Gut Health Quiz is a great place to start your journey to optimal digestive wellness.