Updated on November 9th, 2022
We’ve all experienced the conventional signs of improper digestion, ranging from bloating and flatulence to heaviness and weight gain. Adding one of the best digestive enzymes to your diet will help you better break down your food and absorb nutrients, whether you’re vegan, a steak lover, or following a grain-free, paleo diet. Discover how to use the best vegan digestive enzyme supplements and which brands we recommend.
What are Digestive Enzymes, and How do they Work?
Our digestive system relies heavily on digestive enzymes. They are naturally produced by our bodies to aid in digesting carbs, lipids, and proteins in our food. In layman’s terms, they catalyze the breakdown of meals to boost the bioavailability of stored nutrients, allowing them to be absorbed more easily into the bloodstream. The nutrients in your diet would be wasted if you didn’t have these enzymes.
Lipases aid in the breakdown of lipids; proteases aid in the breakdown of proteins; carbohydrases aid in the breakdown of carbohydrates; and fibrinolytic enzymes aid in the breakdown of phytic acid and cellulose from plants. They ensure that you obtain the nutrients you need to function at your best and the probiotics found in your digestive system.
Our systems have difficulty naturally manufacturing enough of these enzymes to adequately absorb our daily food intake as we age because of stress and certain health disorders. This is when supplementing with digestive enzymes can help. Like a daily vitamin subscription, these supplements can help fill in your body’s wellness gaps.
Different Vegan Enzymes for Digestion
1. Pure Vegan Digestive Enzyme Complex
All enzymes you’ll need are included in this Pure Vegan Digestive Enzyme Complex, including amylase, protease I, protease II, lactase, lipase, cellulase, maltase, and hemicellulase. This product is completely vegan and contains no animal components! This supplement is an all-around wonderful digestive aid because it contains a blend of stomach-soothing substances like ginger, peppermint, and cinnamon. The cost of a 90-count bottle is $15.28.
2. Mary Ruth’s Vegan Digestive Food Enzymes
Mary Ruth’s is one of those wonderful, well-known vegan-friendly products you can always count on! Following suit, Mary Ruth’s Vegan Digestive Food Enzymes are 100 percent vegan products. Protease mix, amylase blend, glucoamylase blend, diastase, invertase, pectinase, cellulase, hemicellulase, xylanase lipase, lactase, and alpha-galactosidase are among the enzymes included in this comprehensive and advanced blend. Mary Ruth claims that by combining these advanced vegan enzymes, this supplement will help with vitamin and mineral absorption and digestion. The price of a 60-count bottle is $22.95.
3. Nutra Champs Vegan Digestive Enzymes with Prebiotics & Probiotics
This Nutra Champs Vegan Digestive Enzymes with Prebiotics & Probiotics is formulated to aid in the reduction of bloating and gas while also increasing digestion. “Formed with a varied spectrum of over 21 distinct nutrients clinically demonstrated to help you digest at your best,” says the manufacturer of this vegan-friendly enzyme combination. A bottle of 180 capsules costs $22.95.
What are the Benefits of Digestive Enzyme Supplements?
Digestive enzyme supplements help break down macronutrients by replacing our bodies’ own digestive enzymes. The nutrients in these foods are absorbed into our bodies through the small intestine wall and then disseminated through the bloodstream once broken down. The supplement must be taken before eating because it is designed to replicate our natural enzymes. They’ll be able to work their magic as soon as the food reaches our stomach and small intestine. They won’t be much use if we don’t eat them with our supper.
It is critical to your general health and vigor to properly break down and digest your food. Absorbing nutrients and passing food is a part of the detoxification process. Supplementing with one of the best digestive enzymes may be the key to allowing your body to recover and replenish itself if you have digestive troubles. In reality, research suggests that digestive enzyme supplementation may aid in the treatment of some gastrointestinal illnesses or disorders, such as lactose intolerance and cystic fibrosis.
We always recommend speaking with your doctor about your present GI symptoms, their reasons, and whether or not an enzyme replacement is right for you.
What to Look for When Purchasing Digestive Enzyme Supplements?
There are a few essential pieces of information that you should always examine while shopping for the correct digestive enzyme supplement for you.
Types of Enzymes to Look For – Always check the amount and types of enzymes included in a supplement. This is crucial because you want to choose a full-spectrum or broad-spectrum enzyme supplement that contains a variety of enzymes to aid in the digestion of various nutrients. Protease, which aids in the breakdown of proteins, lipase aids in the digestion of fats, and amylase, which aids in the digestion of carbohydrates, are among the most significant. We recommend taking enzyme supplements that contain at least three different types of enzymes.
Sources — While animal-derived enzymes were once common in digestive enzyme supplements, we now choose plant-based enzymes because they are better for the environment, animals, and your body. Plant-based enzymes, in fact, perform better across a wider pH range, including the acids in your digestive tract.
Look for supplements that are vegan, non-GMO, and made with all-natural ingredients to ensure you’re getting the greatest digestive enzymes. Look for ones backed by clinical research, formulated by doctors and nutritionists, and have been quality-tested by a third-party lab.
How to Interpret Labels on Digestive Enzymes?
Always read the label when comparing digestive enzyme brands for these important details.
Enzymes — While many manufacturers use proprietary enzyme mixes, the supplement facts should mention each individual enzyme included in the supplement.
Amount per Serving — Check to see how much the enzyme blend and other ingredients are in each supplement serving. This will also inform you if a serving is one capsule or multiple capsules.
Check to discover what other nutrients or digestive supplements the brand has in its capsules or powders. These can include items like fennel seed or ginseng root extract, which are thought to help with digestion.
Suggested Use – Each brand will include instructions on how to take their digestive enzyme supplements and when to take them. These are usually taken with water before meals.
What is the Best Way to Take Digestive Enzymes?
While each brand’s instructions for how much and when to take digestive enzyme supplements vary, they are often taken before meals to allow the enzymes to assist break down the foods you eat. Some supplements recommend taking them up to three times a day, once before each meal, while others only suggest taking them twice a day. You should always ask your doctor about the ideal diet and digestive health routine.
What are the Side Effects & Safety of Digestive Enzymes?
Although dietary enzyme supplements are generally thought to have a low risk of adverse effects, minor ones can develop in some situations. These symptoms can include stomach pains and diarrhea. These can happen if you take too much of a supplement, so you only take the appropriate dosage. It’s also critical to use just reputed brands of digestive enzymes to ensure that they’re free of toxins and allergies. They may also conflict with some drugs, so if you plan to use a digestive enzyme supplement, talk to your doctor first.
Bloating, Gas, And Diarrhea are all reduced.
One of the most important advantages of digestive enzymes is reducing bloating and gas after meals. When your body lacks the enzymes needed to break down food, undigested food can sit in your intestines and ferment. Gas is produced during the fermentation process, which can cause bloating. Food that hasn’t been digested might also attract water into the colon, causing diarrhea or loose stools.
Better Absorption of nutrients
Digestion enzymes are important for getting your body the nutrients it requires from the food you eat since they ensure that your meal is properly broken down. Nutrient malabsorption, which can lead to vitamin shortages, can be caused by insufficient enzyme synthesis.
Digestion of difficult to process foods is easier.
Taking a digestive enzyme before a meal, whether a restaurant meal, your favorite takeaway order, or a special family supper, can help make food more enjoyable, especially if you have lactose intolerance or your body has a hard time digesting a fatty meal. Food should make you happy, and digestive enzymes can help you enjoy more indulgent dishes.
What are the Protein Digestive Enzymes of the Highest Quality?
Protein-degrading enzymes such as protease, bromelain, and papain are the most effective.
Protease
This enzyme aids in the breakdown of proteins into their basic components. This is a naturally occurring enzyme produced by our digestive tract, and however, as we become older, we produce less. As a result, as a dietician, I propose that you take a digestive enzyme that includes this enzyme. Protease has several advantages, including aiding digestion and possibly even strengthening immunity.
Bromelain
Bromelain is one of the most effective digestive enzymes, and pineapple is a good source. Bromelain aids in the digestion of proteins found in meat, grains, nuts, and cheese, among other foods. According to research, Bromelain also contains anti-inflammatory qualities and may help joint health. Eat fresh pineapple after a substantial, protein-rich meal to reap the advantages of Bromelain.
Papain
Papain aids digestion by breaking down proteins into peptides and amino acids. Because papaya is a natural source, it’s no surprise that it’s a favorite fruit for bloating and constipation relief. Bromelain and papain work nicely together.
Interestingly, topically putting papain to the skin is sometimes used as a natural cure for bug bites and other skin lesions.
When Should you Usage Digestive Enzymes?
Depending on your needs, you may want to take digestive enzymes every day before your two largest meals. Others may only want to take them if they’re eating a particularly large meal or one with high fat, protein, or carbohydrate content, or if they’re eating dairy.
Take a digestive enzyme pill right before a meal, if possible. That’s when they’ll be most useful. You can also take it in the middle or after a meal if that’s too tough to remember.
I propose keeping digestive enzymes on your dining table, and you’ll have a visible reminder to take them during the meal this way.
What is the Role of Enzymes in Digestion?
Digestive enzymes help break down food into little pieces so that nutrients may be absorbed in the intestines.
Mastication, or chewing, is the first step in the digestive process. Food is being broken down into tiny pieces, and enzymes further break down these tiny fragments on a microscopic level. During the early stages of digestion, digestive enzymes are produced largely by the pancreas, but they are also secreted in the saliva and stomach.
Different enzymes break down carbs, proteins, and lipids in different ways. Amylases are carbohydrate-degrading enzymes, and proteases are proteins-degrading enzymes. Lipases are enzymes that aid in the digestion of lipids.
Conclusion
A digestive enzyme is a type of enzyme that aids in the digestion of food. Your pancreas creates digestive enzymes released throughout your digestive tract, from saliva to intestinal walls.
Digestive enzymes help break down large molecules of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates in food into smaller components that can be more easily transported, absorbed, and utilized by the body when they are released.
Malabsorption of nutrients can occur if the pancreas does not produce adequate digestive enzymes. Malabsorption can lead to dietary shortages and gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating and diarrhea. Other environmental and lifestyle factors, such as growing older, may also deplete our natural enzymatic reserves.
