Enzymes are elements that are found in our body and that have various functions: let's find out which ones
What are enzymes?
Enzymes are composed of amino acids and therefore on a chemical level they are a lot similar to proteins but they have a very different role in the body.
In fact enzymes work as protein catalysts and this means that they serve to make every biochemical reaction take place inside our organism. We can say that they are capable of improve and promote every biochemical process, thus allowing reactions to take place more quickly and efficiently.
The enzymes contain a certain amount of energy which makes them capable of activating these reactions and once this charge is consumed they become a normal protein; the body produces enzymes with this charge of biological energy at the expense of its own energy.
Enzymes are born specific in the sense that they are capable of activating a single biochemical reaction and therefore innumerable different enzymes are present in the body.
Enzymes are divided into two categories, digestive and metabolic ones: the former have the ability to carry out all digestive processes in the gastrointestinal tract and are different depending on the reaction they have to trigger, from the assimilation of individual nutritional elements to the final elimination of waste substances. For example, the enzyme amylase is present to break down starches, while the enzyme protease is needed for the cleavage of proteins; metabolic enzymes, on the other hand, are all the other enzymes that are used for the innumerable biochemical reactions of the rest of the body.
The enzymes in cold-pressed juices
Where we find the enzymes
Enzymes are in our body but also inside other living beings and in particular we can find them in fresh and natural plant foods.
Enzymes are present almost everywhere, for example inside the fruit cells we have the presence of enzymes useful for the biochemical reactions of the plant itself.
La Sprouting of a seed is given by the activation of enzymes which hydrolyze the starch thus allowing the birth of the new plant. The transformation that takes place from the moment of harvesting a fruit until its rotting is given by the enzymatic activity inside the fruit which, once detached from the branch, continues and is therefore the work of the enzymes present in the plant cells.
Returning to our body, the enzymes work continuously and the organism constantly consumes energy in their self-production. Here's the important point: Wouldn't it be much better to maximize natural enzymes to conserve more energy than to waste it on endogenous enzyme production?
Enzymes and raw foods
As we have described the plant world contains many enzymes and therefore eating foods, such as fruits and vegetables, fresh and raw, allows you to increase the presence of natural enzymes, improving the health of the body.
Therefore, eating raw vegetables and fruit avoids the energy waste of the overproduction of enzymes instead required by cooked foods that no longer contain these precious elements.
To be active, enzymes need special conditions and it can often happen that they are altered, denatured or eliminated; they live well at a certain temperature ranging from a few degrees to 40 degrees, basically the same temperature that any form of life needs to be active and develop well; in reverse enzymes are destroyed at temperatures above 40 degrees, because precisely being "living" elements similar to proteins they behave like living beings.
Not for nothing, when we have a fever, the risk is that the temperature exceeds 40 degrees and there may be problems; in a similar way, enzymes at such temperatures also degrade and can "die".
Furthermore enzymes are destroyed or diminished in effectiveness with gamma-ray radiation, alcohol use, smoking and stress.
By keeping these elements in check, the supply of natural enzymes that come with food will allow you to obtain many health benefits and avoid wasting energy.
Eating raw: the benefits
As we can well understand, having more enzymes greatly improves all digestive processes, but not only: another essential point in raw food is that this charge of natural enzymes that comes from raw foods helps to activate the body's immune defenses; in fact, when raw foods are ingested they are 100% recognized by our organism which receives them without any response from our defensive system.
On the contrary, when we eat foods that have undergone cooking, the so-called "digestive leukocytosis”, A reaction of the immune system considered physiological, but which does not happen with raw foods. It would seem that when we eat cooked foods, the immune system is alerted by not recognizing them as "healthy and beneficial" for the body.
Let's also see what are the benefits of eating raw:
- relieves headache, back pain and arthritis
- reduces digestive problems: flatulence, slowing down and gastric heaviness
- relieves sleepiness especially after meals
- counteracts allergies
- calms states of anxiety and stress
- helps in rehydration fills any vitamin and mineral deficiencies
- purifies and detoxifies the body
- increases the basic energy of the body, useful in weight loss diets because it allows you to lose weight
- alkalizes the body by lowering the pH and therefore in particular reduces inflammation
Concluding the raw food diet, or even just theincrease of a good percentage of raw foods at the beginning of meals, allows to obtain more health, vitality and well-being for our body.
Why eat raw at the beginning of a meal?
To learn more:
> Raw food diet: how and when to do it
