Enzymes: The Next Diet Craze?

I wrote an article about enzymes for the New York Times. Enzymes have been used for a while in skincare as a natural substitute for chemical exfoliants (like glycolic and salicylic acid) but they are gaining popularity in Europe and the U.S. as supplements.

Here's an excerpt from the story:

The human body contains two kinds of enzymes: metabolic, which are found in every cell of the body and cause various chemical reactions, and digestive, which are released in the stomach and intestines and help break food down into usable nutrients. A third kind, known as food enzymes, are found in uncooked nuts, vegetables and fruit. Raw-food advocates argue that, when eaten, food enzymes can help “predigest” nutrients, a process they claim allows the body to use less of its own digestive enzymes and direct more energy to other functions, like organ repair and detoxification.

Even so, raw-food diets and juice fasts, which have been championed by the actress Gwyneth Paltrow and the designer Donna Karan, have grown in popularity. But some find the rigid regimens, which can involve extensive shopping, preparation and luridly colored liquids, difficult to follow.

Here's an interesting bit of information I learned but wasn't ultimately included in the article: One of the ways genetic modification has changed our food is by removing enzymes from our vegetables and fruits. The effect (and purpose) of this is to extend their shelf life. (Have you ever wondered why that salad in your fridge lasts as long as it does?) But by removing the enzymes, it becomes more difficult for our bodies to digest and extract the nutrients in these fruits and vegetables. So yet another reason to buy organic!

You can read the whole article Here.