Carbohydrates

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Carbohydrates Intolerance

An intolerance of carbohydrates, or the inability to digest sugars and starches, is actually quite common. It occurs when your small intestine does not secrete enough of the appropriate enzymes such as amylase. Amylase is the enzyme responsible for breaking down starches.

A shortage will result in digestive symptoms such as diarrhea, bloating, flatulence, and abdominal cramps, usually within 2 hours of eating your meal.

When you eat foods such as breads, cereals, fruits and vegetables, enzymes in your digestive tract break down the carbs into simple sugars that can be absorbed by your bloodstream. Your body then uses these sugars as fuel.

Some people, however, don’t make enough, or any, of one or more of the enzymes necessary to break down carbohydrates.

What to Look For

If you are not able to properly digest carbs you will probably feel a craving for sugary foods. Unfortunately, if you eat too many of them you may overburden your already challenged digestive system causing digestive stress and weight gain.

Secondary enzymes deficiencies can occur because of conditions such as tropical sprue, acute intestinal infections, celiac disease and neomycin toxicity.

The best known example (est. at 70% of the world population) of this type of intolerance involves a deficiency in lactase which is the enzyme that digests lactose or milk sugar. You then experience poor digestion of foods that contain lactose such as milk, yogurt, butter and some cheeses.

American Diet Highly Refined

Problems can also arise from a shortage of invertase which is the enzyme that breaks down sucrose into glucose and fructose.

The typical American diet is highly refined which means that we consume lots of sugar so a lack of invertase is another cause of digestive stress.

Sugar intolerances frequently result in symptoms such as

hay fever,
environmental allergies, and
mold allergies

If you are experiencing any kind of food intolerance, your first option should be to look for a good quality digestive enzyme.

What Should I Look For?

Look for a digestive enzyme supplement that:

Contains all the enzymes for digestion (not just amylase, protease, and lipase) so that all foods are broken down into their most useable form
Uses only plant enzymes (completely vegetarian) which enables the enzymes to work in all phases of digestion
Contains no gluten, MSG, salt, sugar, artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or chemical preservatives additives or fillers.
Contains all the cofactors necessary for full enzyme activation

For more information on how enzymes assist digestion, please see Enzymes in Digestion

What Digestive Enzymes do I Recommend?
Immediate Response Provided.

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I am looking for a product that

	1. helps my digestion which enhances my health.
	2. increases my energy levels and promotes long life.
	3. takes the burden of digestion off my body, so other vital functions can proceed unimpaired.
	4. increases the utilization of protein, carbohydrate, and other nutrients for building muscle.
	5. increases the nutritional value of foods by ensuring the nutrients in food are available to the cells of my body.
	6. assures the nutrients from food or nutritional supplements are absorbed by my body.
	7. contains no lactose, gluten, MSG, salt, sugar, artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or chemical preservatives, additives or fillers.
	8. uses pure plant enzymes.
	9. guarantees cellular delivery.

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