9 Powerful Foods Packed with Natural Digestive Enzymes for Better Gut Health!

Digestive drama has become the norm these days. According to a 2018 article in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults have experienced at least one gastrointestinal woe over the previous week. It does not have to be this way.

Foods containing natural digestive enzymes can help your body along in the digestion department as well, besides avoiding foods that cause you distress and relieving discomfort with OTC medications.

According to registered dietitian Brittany Berman, RDN, “Digestive enzymes occurring naturally in the body help breakdown what we eat so that essential nutrients get to where they need to be for proper utilization.” Sometimes the body doesn’t make enough of such enzymes (for example, the lactose-digesting enzymes that breakdown dairy products) and this slows digestion and causes GI symptoms like gas, bloating and diarrhea.

Fortunately, many foods containing these important enzymes are available, and most of them are most effective to digest raw. By contrast, each enzyme “is very fragile and can easily be destroyed by chemical, pH, or temperature changes,” Berman says.

Below are nine foods that can help give your digestion a boost—plus how to seamlessly add them to your diet:

1. Pineapple

“Bromelain, a group of enzymes from a pineapple that help your body digest protein, can be found in pineapples, something health experts like Connecticut-based registered dietitian Alyssa Lavy, RD, is aware of.” Bromelain is a digestive enzyme, like most digestive enzymes, and because of that it is heat sensitive, so the most you can do to boost your intake is just to increase your raw pineapple intake.

2. Avocados

If you’re prone to tummy trouble with high-fat meals, then avocados might be your new best friend. Kansas-based dietitian Cheryl Mussatto, RD, author of The Nourished Brain, says, ‘They have lipase, an enzyme you need to metabolize and digest fat.’ Bonus: It’s super easy to add avocados to your diet: enjoy some guacamole, bust out your favorite avocado toast recipes, or put a couple of cubes on top of your salad or add it to your morning smoothie. 

3. Bananas

Bananas are best known as a go-to potassium source, but they also contain enzymes like amylase and maltose, according to Mussatto. Amylase breaks down complex carbs, like those in bread and cereals, while maltase breaks down malt sugar—the simple sugars in carbohydrate foods, such as starchy grains and veggies. The next time you’re looking for a snack, top your cereal or oatmeal with bananas, blend one into a smoothie, or eat one straight up. 

4. Mangos

It’s also true that, like bananas, mangos contain amylase, which makes it easier for your body to break down starches into smaller carb molecules and thus absorb them. Mussatto recommends actually substituting a sliced or chunked piece of the fruit for a healthy, colorful, and delicious snack, or as a green salad topper.

5. Papaya

Papain is the name of the papaya enzyme, which helps break down protein, says Lavy. However, papain can be affected by heat, so ensure you eat papaya raw for the highest possible digestive advantage: papaya wedges as a breakfast side, cubed and added to salads and smoothies.

6. Raw Honey

Other digestive enzymes that honey contains include diastases, true diastases, invertases and proteases. These guys help to break down starches, sugars and proteins. “The good news is that if you eat honey in raw form, your body will produce all of your digestive benefits,” says Berman. “Processed honey—especially if you buy it—will typically have been heated during treatment, destroying beneficial enzymes.” Use it to sweeten your oatmeal, for instance, or drizzle it on toast or mix it into yogurt.

7. Kefir

Berman explains that “kefir is basically fermented milk that has had yeast cultures, lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria added.” Digestive enzymes found in it are lipase (fat), lactase (lactose) and proteases (proteins). It’s great to drink straight up, or you can combine it with overnight oats or blend it into your next smoothie bowl.

8. Sauerkraut

Since sauerkraut is fermented, it’s a great source of several digestive enzymes that your body can use to break down proteins, fats and starches. If making sauerkraut at home, Mussatto recommends using water and salt rather than vinegar because of the fermentation process that allows the sauerkraut to ‘bite.’ (That is, the sauerkraut was fermented, not pickled, and retained the digestion-friendly enzymes.) This can be eaten on its own or as a side to any meal. 

9. Ginger

Ginger is not just an enzyme in the body called zingibain that helps us digest protein, but may also help produce more digestive enzymes in the body, says Berman. That’s on top of the role it already plays in pain and nausea relief. Use either tea form or add it to your next stir-fry and grate some in. 

Conclusion

Adding these nine powerful foods to your diet can vastly improve your digestive health by allowing your body to digest food more easily with natural enzymes. With occasional bloating or just generally bad gut health in general, these enzyme-rich foods are delicious and natural ways to help with your digestive system. The key to better digestion and overall well-being is often to be found in the simplest and most natural ingredients. Okay, so adding these foods into your daily life will boost your gut and we don’t want that!