GUT HEALTH CENTER
HCL
DIGESTIVE ENZYMES
BILE ACIDS
HCL, DIGESTIVE ENZYMES, BILE ACIDS
The gut garden tools
These tools help help to ensure that the gut garden is healthy and well maintained.
WHAT IS HCL?
HCL, also known as betaine HCL, is hydrcholoric acid. It is found in the stomach and is secreted by parietal cells. It helps the body to break down, digest, and absorb nutrients, especially protein. It also helps to protect your body from infections and pathogens in food.
WHAT ARE DIGESTIVE ENZYMES?
Digestive enzymes are proteins that help to break down the fats, proteins, and carbohydrates you eat into smaller size molecules that are easier to absorb.
They are produced in the salivary glands, stomach, pancreas, and small intestines.
There are three main types of digestive enzymes.
Amylases break down starches and carbohydrates into sugarrs.
Proteases break down proteins into amino acids.
Lipases break down fats into glycerol and fatty acids.
WHAT ARE BILE ACIDS?
Bile acids help to support the digestion and absorption of fats in the small intestine as well as support cholesterol balance. They also function as hormones and help to regulate various processes.
Bile acids are produced by the liver
and stored in the gallbladder until it is needed by the body.
Secondary bile salts are produced in small amounts as a result of some intestinal bacterial actions.
CHEW YOUR FOOD
One of the most important tools for your gut garden is properly chewing your food.
Digestion begins in the mouth when your salivary glands produce amalyases to digest carbohydrates. This process also starts to stimulate the release of various digestive secretions.
If you do not chew your food well, you will not digest your food well.
Eat while sitting down and chew your food slowly and thoroughly.
FOODS RICH IN GUT GARDEN TOOLS
There are many foods rich in gut garden tools. These foods are best eaten with meals, starting with the first bite of food.
PINEAPPLE
Pineapple is rich in a group of enzymes called bromelain. The stem and core are especially rich.
You want fresh pineapple, canned pineapple and bottled pineapple juice are going to have little to none of the enzyme.
Bromelain helps to digest proteins, especially the collagens in meat, which is why it is popular as a meat tenderizer.
PAPAYA
Papaya is rich in the enzymes papain and chymopapain. These enzymes help to break down proteins and are also popular as a meat tenderizer.
These enzymes are only present in the unripe fruit, as the fruit ripens the amount of the enzymes decrease greatly.
Canned papaya and bottled papaya juices will not have these enzymes.
AVOCADO
Avocados are rich in lipases, which help to break down fats.
If you have trouble eating fat rich foods, try having some avocado with them.
BANANA
Bananas are rich in amylase and maltase. Amylase helps to break down starches and carbohydrates while maltase helps to break down the malt sugars found in starchy foods.
MANGO
Mangos are rich in amylase which helps to break down starches and carbohydrates.
GRASS-FED KEFIR
Not only is kefir rich in probiotics, but it also contains lipase to break down fats, lactase to break down the milk sugar lactose, proteases to digest proteins.
A true multitasking gut garden tool!
GINGER
Ginger is rich in the enzyme zingibain which helps to digest proteins.
It also is thought to help increase the bodies own production of digestive enzymes.
LACTO-FERMENTED SAUERKRAUT
In addition to being a great source of prebiotics, sauerkraut is rich in a variety of digestive enzymes.
A couple of tablespoons eaten with a meal is a great way to improve the digestive process.
RAW HONEY
Raw honey is rich in enzymes, especially amylase and protease.
It has to be raw honey though. Many honeys are heated and processed in ways that will destroy the enzymes.
GRASS-FED PANCREAS
Pancreas is the most potent enzyme rich food.
It is often served as a sweetbread and has a rich creamy taste.
It contains very high amounts of proteases, amylases, and lipases.
This food can be hard to find, but here is a great source.
HCL SUPPLEMENTS
Betaine HCL is a supplement that is often used as a source of supplemental hydrochloric acid.
Be very careful with the use of this as it can cause stomach pain and acid reflux.
It is best to get tested by your doctor to see if you have low stomach acid, hypochlorhydria, and discussing with them to see if HCL would be a good idea for you.
CONTAMINATION OF HCL SUPPLEMENTS
Due to recent shortages in the betaine HCL supply chain, there are lots of contaminated products on the market because most companies do not perform proper quality control.
One such material (there are many others) is a blue crystalline substance that is difficult to identify, but may be pieces from the reactor the HCL is produced in.
Many companies are simply grinding up this contaminant and selling the product.
Our betaine supplement is properly screened for this adulterant.
TO PEPSIN OR NOT TO PEPSIN?
Pepsin is an enzyme produced in the stomach that helps to digest proteins in food.
Many companies produce supplements that contain both betaine and pepsin.
This is actually not a good idea. Encapsulating the two together in the same capsule will cause the pepsin to become degraded over time.
So if you need to use both, it is best to take them in separate capsules,
BILE ACID SUPPLEMENTS
Bile acid supplements contain bile acids which help to support the digestion and absorption of fats.
Many people have trouble digesting fats and these can certainly help with that, especially for those who have had their gallbladder removed.
They are also useful for supporting healthy cholesterol levels.
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SOURCING
Bile acid supplements are sourced from the gallbladder of various animals such as beef or oxen.
It is very important to ensure that these come from grass-fed sources and are low-temperature processed.
Our gallbladder with ox bile supplement is sourced from small family farms that raise grass-fed cattle in Australia.
They are freeze-dried to preserve their full nutritional value.
HOW TO TAKE
Bile acid supplements are best taken with the first bite of a meal or snack. It is especially beneficial for higher fat meals.
Eating foods rich taurine can help these supplements work better.
Foods rich in taurine include red meat, shellfish, beef liver, and eggs.
DIGESTIVE ENZYME SUPPLEMENTS
Digesive enzyme supplements contain a variety of enzymes that help to digest and break down different foods.
They range from the broad spectrum to single enzyme products geared towards digesting specific foods such as lactase for dairy or Alpha-galactosidase for gassy foods like beans..