ENZYMES Enzymes are catalysts or substances that cause the cells to convert nutrients into forms acceptable for cellular metabolism. However, the enzymes are not directly altered as a result. Another characteristic of enzymes is that they become active only when certain level of pH exists along with a certain temperature range being maintained. Although various experts state widely disparaging numbers of how many enzymes exist (anywhere from 1,500 to 80,000), for the purposes of our basic nutrition paper, only eight that directly affect the digestive system are presented: EIGHT OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ENZYMES DIRECTLY CONNECTED WITH THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM ARE: Amylase: The main class of enzymes that degrade carbohydrates and starches Ptylin: An amylase enzyme excreted by the salivary glands that begins the breaking down of carbohydrates Amylopsin: An amylase enzyme secreted by the pancreas that works in the intestine Sucrase: An enzyme that breaks down sucrose (the table sugar) in the intestine into glucose and fructose. Invertase: Another type of enzyme that breaks down sucrose into glucose and fructose Maltase: An enzyme that breaks down maltose (sugar made up of 2 glucose molecules) in the small intestine Proteolytic: a class of enzymes that degrade protein pepsin, chymotrypsin, and trypsin Pepsin: Produced in the walls of the stomach and works with the other gastric juices of hydrochloric acid and mucous to begin the speed up of protein breakdown. Chymotrypsin: Is produced in the pancreas and functions in the first part of the small intestine called the duodenum. Trypsin: Is also produced in the pancreas and operates further down in the small intestine. Lipase: Secreted by the stomach and breaks down lips (fats) while the food is in the stomach. Later on down the digestive system in the small intestine, the pancreas secretes its own lipase to finish the job. From a nutrition standpoint, enzymes mean your body does not have to work as hard to digest your food, provided you have not killed the enzymes by cooking them to death. All plants have enzymes to enable them to feed off themselves for nutrients. Although these enzymes in the plants are most prolific when the plant is very green or young, the enzymes diminish as the plant matures. There are still some residual enzymes in the plant to help our bodies digest it. Start a meal with enzyme-rich salsa, salads or fruits. The USDA does not track the amounts of enzymes in particular plants, but knowledge of the above information may help you get your enzyme study started. A good book for further study is "Food Enzymes for Health" by Edward Howell, 1994. This book tells you: "The length of life is proportional to the exhaustion rate of your enzyme Bank. The increased use of food enzymes promotes longer healthier active life.” No Hog Farmer would throw money away by cooking the hog feed. Hog farmers found out from experience that they must feed their hogs cooked potatoes because it is impossible for hogs to get fat eating raw potatoes no matter how much they are fed. Cooking the potatoes is an expensive, but profitable investment to make hogs fat. Let the enzyme be part of your meal. Eating with bioactive enzymes involves changing the way we prepare food. Add the enzyme to the food after it has cooled down, and provide the time for the enzymes to start their pre-digestion work so you don’t have struggle to get your nourishment. In other words, do not work so hard and save a million. After taking bioactive enzymes, we notice that our food doesn’t sit in our stomachs, feeling like lead. Instead, within a short time after eating, we feel light, satisfied, and energetic. We become more active and enjoy life. Making the case for the bioactive enzyme The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearing House in Bethesda, Maryland, published these 1993 statistics for the United Sates as follows: 116,609 digestive system cancer deaths 20 million cases of Gallstones 666 million reports of heartburn each month 20 million cases of irritable bowl syndrome 191,311 total death to due to digestive disorders 13% of total hospitalization due to digestive disorders 5.8 million digestive system surgeries 7 % of the total number of surgeries performed were digestive-system related. We at Mana Diet have added bromelain, an enzyme extracted from Hawaiian pineapple, to help you digest protein. As the Hollywood Diet success is based on a high consumption of pineapple, which contains the enzyme bromelain, we at Mana Diet have added it to our Chef Peter’s spice mixtures.