Digestive Enzymes - Why I Take them

I don't want to get too sciency on you guys, so I'll keep it pretty short and sweet here.  I don't remember exactly when I started taking digestive enzymes, but I can tell you that they've made a world of difference in my diet.  There are some foods that I love to eat - big salads, cauliflower, beans, hummus - that used to make me feel bloated and gassy afterwards.  Often times, I avoided eating them because I was afraid of the aftermath - the uncomfortable and even embarrassing side effects from eating these foods.  For me, it seems like fiber is the most difficult thing for my body to break down, but fiber is so important to a healthy diet, it's not like I can just avoid eating fiber!

One day, I'd had enough so I decided to explore the world of digestive enzymes.  I went to Whole Foods and was totally overwhelmed by the options.  The first kind of enzyme I tried was Rainbow Light - about $20, so not a bad price, and seemed to have a comprehensive mix of enzymes.  I don't remember the first time I tested them out, but I can tell you that I was forever changed.  I don't take enzymes before every meal (although now that I'm writing this, I'm thinking about it).  I usually just take them before meals where I know I may need them.  Somehow I've built up quite a collection of enzymes - at one point I even had one bottle in my purse, one in my medicine cabinet, and one in my desk at work.  So first, let me tell you a little bit of the science behind what enzymes do and then I'll tell you a bit about the brands I've tried.

The Basic Science

We all have naturally occurring enzymes that help us break down food and absorb nutrients.  Some people don't have the level of digestive enzymes necessary to break down specific foods, which can lead to uncomfortable symptoms such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea.  

Some medical conditions can lead to low enzyme levels - in this case, consult your doctor.  There are 2 types of digestive enzymes - prescription and over the counter. If you have a medical condition requiring you to take digestive enzymes, you're going to want the prescription stuff.  If you're like me and just get occasional bloating, you can buy the over-the counter kind. 

Here's a breakdown of what's in each of these enzymes and which ones I like best:

#1 Rainbow Light Advanced Enzyme System

After a side-by-side comparison of the enzymes I've taken, Rainbow Light was my favorite.  Taking 1 capsule before a fiber-rich meal cured about 95% of my symptoms.  The only reason why these enzymes beat out HUM was because of their price - $20 for 90 capsules vs. $25 for 60 capsules for HUM.

# 2 Hum Vitamins: Flatter Me

These enzymes came in a close 2nd place just due to their price, but cured about 95% of all symptoms as well.

#3 Whole Foods Wholezyme

Like any other grocery-store brand product, Wholezyme was a decent & affordable enzyme option.  It definitely helped with symptoms of bloating and gasiness, but I would say was only about 60-70% effective.  I still experienced minor discomfort after eating a fiber-rich meal, but less so than if I hadn't taken the enzymes.  At about $26 for 90 capsules (and 2 capsules/serving) this was the most expensive product and the least effective.

Final disclaimer - I'm not a doctor or nutritionist, so I can't recommend products and say that they will 100% work for you, just that they worked for me!  These are the only brands I've tried, but there are tons out there, so if you're interested, do some research and find a quality product to try.