Enzymes are proteins with specific functions. They’re found in all living cells and are required for every chemical reaction that takes place in the body. Each enzyme is responsible for a specific function. To break down the food we eat, our bodies manufacture a variety of digestive enzymes. Digestive enzymes are produced throughout the digestive tract, beginning in the mouth with salivary amylase, which aids in the digestion of starches. Other enzymes are made in the stomach, pancreas, and small intestine after that.
Digestive enzymes can also be obtained from raw foods and additional digestive enzyme products. Raw foods contain their own enzymes, however these enzymes are destroyed when they are processed or cooked.