Should We Eat a Raw Food Diet Because of Enzymes?

One of the arguments for adopting a raw vegan diet is that raw foods contain enzymes that can aid in human digestion. The idea is that if we consume "living" foods with their enzymes intact, our bodies can actually utilize these enzymes in the digestion of the food.

This reasoning has just never sat right with me and here's why:

Enzymes are for the Plant, Not the Person

Raw foods contain enzymes that are necessary for proper development of the plant. For instance, an unripe banana contains enzymes that allow the starch in the fruit to convert to sugar, i.e. to ripen.

Once the process is complete, the enzymes are gone. So in order to actually consume these enzymes, you would have to consume unripe, acidic, nutritionally-underdeveloped food.

Kind of defeats the point of eating nutritionally-packed raw foods, eh?

And even if you did decide to consume unripe fruit, there is no reason to believe that the enzymes in the PLANT would be capable of functioning in YOUR digestive processes.

In short, these enzymes are important for the plant, not for us. Our bodies have their own enzymes that allow us to properly digest the foods we eat.

So Why Eat a Raw Diet?

There are several reasons to eat a diet high in raw foods, the main one being that raw foods are nutritional powerhouses. The food has not been damaged via heat or processing and retains its nutritional integrity.

And, actually, for the enzymes!

As I mentioned, enzymes are very necessary in plant growth. By letting your food fully ripen before consumption, you will allow the enzymes present to work their magic, making the food much tastier and easy to digest...

So what do ya know, plant enzymes DO aid in human digestion after all!:D

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

For more information on the best raw vegan diet, be sure to visit http://www.fitonraw.com and subscribe to Swayze's newsletter Peachy Keen Ezine. By subscribing, you will also receive the free report The 4 Principles of a Healthy Raw Diet as well as the 5-week mini-course The Fool Proof Transition to Raw.