Give Your Gut a Hand: The Power of Digestive Enzymes

Written by: Claudia Haller NBC-HWC

A few weeks ago, I found myself sprawled on the couch in discomfort. This wasn’t the first time, either. In fact, I had recently been noticing a pattern that I did not like…a pattern of feeling like I needed to lay down after eating a meal or even just a snack. What was going on? Sure, I’d been busy lately. ​

Maybe I hadn’t been paying much attention to what, how, and when I was eating. Big mistake! I decided to put my “Nancy Drew” hat on and get to the bottom of this…and I did…eventually. But before I get to that, let me ask you this: Have you ever felt bloated, sluggish, or downright miserable after a meal? I certainly have. Often, the answer lies in a tiny but mighty component of your body’s digestive system: enzymes.

Let me just say, enzymes are not getting enough credit for the role they play in your digestive system, and here is why: Without them, your body can’t properly break down food into the nutrients it needs to function. But what happens when you don’t have enough? And how can you support your body to make sure it’s getting the help it needs? Let’s break it down (like the food we eat…pun intended!) in a way that makes sense, so you can understand what’s happening in your gut and, most importantly, how to feel better.
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What Are Enzymes, and Why Do They Matter?
Enzymes are specialized proteins that speed up chemical reactions in your body. When it comes to digestion, they help break down the food you eat into smaller molecules, like amino acids, glucose, and fatty acids, that your body can absorb and use.
Think of them as your body’s internal kitchen staff. Without them, you’d have all the ingredients (your food) but no way to prepare a meal (nutrients your body can actually use).
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Here’s a quick look at the main digestive enzymes and what they do:

• Amylase: Breaks down carbohydrates into sugars.
• Protease: Helps digest proteins into amino acids.
• Lipase: Breaks down fats into fatty acids and glycerol.
• Lactase: Specifically breaks down lactose, the sugar found in dairy.

Your body produces these enzymes in your salivary glands, stomach, pancreas, and small intestine, and they work in harmony to break down every bite you take.

Signs You Might Not Have Enough Digestive Enzymes
When your body doesn’t produce enough enzymes, food isn’t broken down properly, which can lead to a host of uncomfortable symptoms. 

These include:

• Bloating or gas. Undigested food can ferment in your gut, creating excess gas.
• Feeling full for too long. If your stomach feels heavy hours after eating, it might be because food isn’t breaking down efficiently.
• Digestive discomfort after certain foods. For example, lactose intolerance is a sign that your body isn’t producing enough lactase to digest dairy.
• Undigested food in your stool. This can indicate that your body isn’t breaking down food completely.

While occasional symptoms might be your body’s response to a heavy meal or stress, chronic issues could point to a lack of enzymes.

So, besides substantial discomfort, what’s the big deal? Well, digestion is super important because if our food isn’t broken down properly, our bodies aren’t able to absorb the nutrients they need! The digestive system converts the food we eat into small enough forms to be absorbed into the bloodstream and carried throughout the body, providing each of our cells with fuel for energy, growth, and repair. When this doesn’t happen effectively, you’re at risk of malnutrition, an imbalance between the nutrients your body gets and the nutrients it needs to function well. This may mean not getting enough nutrients overall, or it could also mean not getting a wide enough variety to meet the body’s many diverse needs.

Why Enzyme Production Can Decline
Several factors can reduce your body’s ability to produce enough digestive enzymes:

• Aging: As we get older, our enzyme production naturally decreases.
• Stress: Chronic stress diverts energy away from digestion, including enzyme production.
• Diet: A diet low in fresh, enzyme-rich foods can burden your system.
• Gut health issues: Conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) can interfere with enzyme activity.
• Pancreatic insufficiency: The pancreas is a major source of digestive enzymes, and any dysfunction can lead to enzyme deficiency. In fact, there is a condition called Exocrine Pancreatic Condition (EPI), where the pancreas does not create enough digestive enzymes. The problem here is that if you don’t have enough enzymes to break food down properly, it passes right through the intestines in a more complete state, instead of being absorbed into the appropriate parts of the body.

 
Can we focus on the aging part for a minute? 

If you are in your fifties, like I am, you might remember a time when it seemed like you could eat whatever you wanted with no consequence. Perhaps you would try all kinds of appetizers at a buffet, and THEN explore the different main courses! And of course, how could you skip the sweets? There was always room for dessert! After all that, your stomach may have been full, but generally fine. 

But, as you just read, as we get older, our enzymes become fewer and fewer. Nowadays, I feel best when I allow myself just one appetizer but not a whole spread, or if I start with just my main course. If I don’t want to go to war with my digestive system, I will even skip the dessert and mocktails. But all is not lost: 
 
How to Support Your Digestive Enzymes
If you suspect your body might be struggling to produce enough enzymes, because of your age or otherwise, there are ways to support your digestion naturally.

1. Chew Your Food Thoroughly
​Digestion starts in your mouth, where enzymes in your saliva begin breaking down carbohydrates. Chewing thoroughly not only activates these enzymes but also reduces the workload on the rest of your digestive system.

Make a habit of slowing down and really chewing each bite. Aim for 20 to 30 chews per mouthful.

There’s a lot to be said for eating mindfully. There are so many benefits to slowing down, on top of aiding in digestion. Sometimes, in our busy lives, we forget to stop and take a breath between bites. You don’t have to gobble your entire dish in one mouthful! When we pause for a beat, perhaps to say grace (or just to take a quiet moment if that’s not your thing), we

• Foster unity and connection,
• Find an opportunity to express gratitude,
• Find calm and spiritual nourishment.

Plus, when we aren’t racing to finish our food, we are better able to listen to our body’s cues. In other words, we’re less likely to eat until we’re stuffed!

You can read about some of these benefits (as well as my personal experience!) here: Vibrant Health by Claudia: The Transformative Power of Saying Grace and Eating Mindfully 

2. Incorporate Enzyme-Rich Foods
Nature provides plenty of foods rich in natural enzymes that can give your digestion a boost. 
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These include:

• Pineapple: Contains bromelain, a natural protease.
• Papaya: Packed with papain, another protein-digesting enzyme.
• Fermented foods: Sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir contain enzymes that aid digestion and support gut health.
• Raw fruits and vegetables: Enzymes are naturally present in raw produce but are destroyed during cooking. Adding more raw foods to your diet can help.

Looking for an enzyme-rich (and yummy) recipe? Try out this pineapple tempeh stir fry. Pineapple is a sweet and delicious source of bromelain, which breaks down protein. Pair that with the fermented bacteria found in tempeh for awesome gut health!
Pineapple Tempeh Stir Fry

3. Avoid Overloading Your System
Eating large meals or combining heavy, hard-to-digest foods can overwhelm your enzymes. Instead, try smaller, balanced meals that are easier for your body to handle.
For example, pair healthy fats with fiber-rich vegetables and lean proteins to create a meal that’s nutrient-dense but not overly taxing on your digestion.

4. Stay Hydrated
Water is essential for enzyme activity. First, it helps to break down food so that your body can use its nutrients. It also helps to create saliva, and it becomes part of our stomach acid and other bodily fluids that play roles in the digestion process.

Plus, it helps you to feel full so that you don’t overeat. Have you ever heard that if you think you’re hungry, you might actually be thirsty? (Just remember that while water helps you feel full without any extra calories, it doesn’t provide any nutrition either, so don’t overdo it. We want to keep that healthy balance!)

There is no question that staying hydrated is key to keeping your digestive system running smoothly. But does it matter if you sip water throughout the day or chug a whole glass in one sitting? Some claim that drinking large amounts at meals can dilute stomach acid and enzymes. There is also the idea that, because liquids help move food through our systems faster, they have less contact with stomach acids and don’t get to finish breaking down before being emptied from the body. Naturally, when I heard this, I wondered about the validity of this claim. We think we’re doing what’s best for our bodies by drinking plenty of water. Can we do anything right? Fortunately, it turns out that this is mostly just a rumor. Or bodies are able to adapt their secretions to the consistency of a meal. Plus, there is no scientific evidence that the speed of digestion is affected at all. Phew! So, whether you drink a glass of water with meals (staying on a schedule can help you stay consistent, after all!) or sip all day long, just make sure to get in your daily intake of H20!
 
5. Consider Digestive Enzyme Supplements
If dietary changes aren’t enough, a high-quality digestive enzyme supplement might help. These are especially useful if you’ve noticed specific foods consistently causing discomfort, like dairy or beans. Look for a broad-spectrum supplement that targets all macronutrients (carbs, fats, and proteins).

I recommend always checking with a healthcare professional before starting a supplement to make sure it’s the right fit for your needs.

Digestive enzymes are a cornerstone of good health, but they’re easy to overlook. By tuning in to how your body responds to food and making small adjustments, you can support your enzymes and improve your digestion.

Start simple: chew your food more, add an enzyme-rich side dish like pineapple or sauerkraut to your meal, or focus on smaller portions that don’t overwhelm your system. Over time, these habits can lead to better nutrient absorption, fewer digestive issues, and a greater sense of overall well-being.

Remember, digestion isn’t just about what you eat, it’s about how well your body can process and use it. Supporting your enzymes is one of the most effective ways to ensure that the food you’re eating truly nourishes you from the inside out. 

In my case, I eventually got to the bottom of the mystery. As it turned out, I was no longer able to digest a certain type of nut. It’s wild how things can change so suddenly within our bodies! A food that previously gave me no issue at all was, seemingly out of nowhere, the reason why I was in so much pain. However, I have learned that taking care of my digestive system in the way we just discussed helps substantially. I can actually have a few…but not too many! When my digestion is not taken care of properly, that’s a whole other story.
 
Claudia is an NBC-HWC Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, the owner of Vibrant Health by Claudia LLC  and Virtual Health Coaches LLC. She studied Health and Wellness Coaching at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition where she also completed courses in Gut Health, Hormone Health, and Advanced Coaching. She is a Havening TechniquesⓇ Certified Practitioner and certified 21-Day Sugar Detox Coach as well as a co-author of three Amazon Bestsellers “The Ultimate Guide to Creating Your Soul Aligned Business”,  “The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Successful Soul Professional” and “The Ultimate Guide To Leaving Your Legacy.”

To schedule a time for a free information call click here or join her Vibrant Health Power Community - a free Facebook Group - here.
 
Sources:
“Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI).” Cleveland Clinic, 2 June 2025, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21577-exocrine-pancreatic-insufficiency-epi

Department of Health & Human Services. “Digestive System Explained.” Better Health Channel, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/digestive-system#bhc-content.
 
Haller, Claudia. “The Transformative Power of Saying Grace and Eating Mindfully.” Vibrant Health by Claudia, 20 Feb. 2024, www.vibranthealthbyclaudia.com/blog/the-transformative-power-of-saying-grace-and-eating-mindfully
 
Malagelada, Juan-R., et al. “Different Gastric, Pancreatic, and Biliary Responses to Solid-liquid or Homogenized Meals.” Digestive Diseases and Sciences, vol. 24, no. 2, Feb. 1979, pp. 101–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01324736.
 
“Malnutrition.” Cleveland Clinic, 2 June 2025, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22987-malnutrition
 
Alina Petre, Alina. “Drinking Liquids With Meals: Good or Bad?” Healthline, 21 June 2019, www.healthline.com/nutrition/drinking-with-meals.
 
Tara. “Sweet Pineapple Tempeh Stir Fry.” WHAT the HECK Do I Eat NOW, 24 May 2017, whattheheckdoieatnow.com/2017/05/11/sweet-pineapple-tempeh-stir-fry
 
“Water After Meals: Does It Disturb Digestion?” Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/digestion/faq-20058348.
 
“Your Digestive System &Amp;Amp; How It Works.” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 21 Feb. 2025, www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works.