Optimise Your Digestive Enzymes with Smart Diet Choices

Did you know that you can influence how many digestive enzymes that your body produces through your diet choices? It is true that taking specific enzymes for specific medical conditions like exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and intolerances such as lactose intolerance can be beneficial. However, taking a mixed bag approach to enzymes to help manage your gut symptoms or irritable bowel syndrome has at best limited evidence. The result of these limited evidence is mixed and not conclusive if this approach is beneficial.

The best way to optimize your digestive enzyme variety and number may be as simple as making smart diet choices. Here are three top tips to help optimize your digestive enzymes.

1. Aim for 30 Different Plant Based Whole Foods a Week

Having an optimal gut microbiome is essential for your health. One important function your gut microbes have is to produce digestive enzymes (1). Your health promoting microbes feed off the plant-based foods in your diet. Each type of microbe has a different fuel need and by including different types of plant-based foods in your diet you will help to feed all the different types.  Research suggests that 30 different types of plant-based foods is optimal to help to promote a variety and amount of health promoting microbes. (2)

Plant based whole foods include wholegrain containing foods like Corn Thins slices, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits, legumes and beans. Aim to include half of your snack and half to three quarters of your meal a plan-based food to help you achieve this amount and variety of plant-based foods each week to support a healthy gut microbiome.

2. Include Different Fermented Foods Each Day

Fermented foods like kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi are rich in probiotics or beneficial bacteria. By adding additional and a diverse range of probiotics to your gut you can enhance the number of enzymes produced in your body. Try Avocado, Cucumber, Tofu & Kimchi on Corn Thins slices

3. Take The Time to Chew Your Food Properly

When you chew this stimulates the production saliva. In your salvia there is an enzyme which helps to digest carbohydrates called amylase. (3)

4. Build Tolerance with Exposure

Do you suffer from lactose intolerance or Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) intolerance? Research suggests that by adding a small amount spread out throughout the day and in combination with other foods or drinks can help increase your tolerance of these short chain carbohydrates. (4)

5. Foods Which May Help Digestion

Including foods which contain enzymes or help to stimulate enzymes such as banana, avocado, honey, papaya, and pineapple may help however more research is still needed in this area. (5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

Take home message: Simple lifestyle choices can help to optimise your health, and digestive function. Try these diet and lifestyle tips to help optimize the number and variety of digestive enzymes you have.

References:

1. Gorbach SL. Microbiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract. In: Baron S, editor. Medical Microbiology. 4th edition. Galveston (TX): University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; 1996. Chapter 95. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK7670/
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4. Suarez FL, Savaiano D, Arbisi P, Levitt MD. Tolerance to the daily ingestion of two cups of milk by individuals claiming lactose intolerance. Am J Clin Nutr. 1997 May;65(5):1502-6. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/65.5.1502. PMID: 9129483.
5. Tursi JM, Phair PG, Barnes GL. Plant sources of acid stable lipases: potential therapy for cystic fibrosis. J Paediatr Child Health. 1994 Dec;30(6):539-43. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.1994.tb00730.x. Erratum in: J Paediatr Child Health. 1995 Aug;31(4):364. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.199tb00832.x. PMID: 7865271.
6. Bassinello PZ, Cordenunsi BR, Lajolo FM. Amylolytic activity in fruits: comparison of different substrates and methods using banana as model. J Agric Food Chem. 2002 Oct 9;50(21):5781- doi: 10.1021/jf011370p. PMID: 12358438.
7. Burlando B, Cornara L. Honey in dermatology and skin care: a review. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2013 Dec;12(4):306-13. doi: 10.1111/jocd.12058. PMID: 24305429.
8. Stremnitzer C, Manzano-Szalai K, Willensdorfer A, Starkl P, Pieper M, König P, Mildner M, Tschachler E, Reichart U, Jensen-Jarolim E. Papain Degrades Tight Junction Proteins of Human Keratinocytes In Vitro and Sensitizes C57BL/6 Mice via the Skin Independent of its Enzymatic Activity or TLR4 Activation. J Invest Dermatol. 2015 Jul;135(7):1790-1800. doi: 10.1038/jid.2015.5 Epub 2015 Feb 23. PMID: 25705851; PMCID: PMC4471117.

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