Studies have repeatedly shown how critical your digestive health is to the state of your entire body's well-being. The microbial microcosm of your gut directly connects to the health of your brain and your immune system. If your gut is in disarray, chances are that your health is as well.

If a person is able to optimize the digestion of their food, this exponentially decreases their chance of pain, discomfort, and complications. One effective way of maintaining the microbial balance of your intestinal tract is by starting a broad spectrum probiotic supplement regimen, ensuring the bad bacteria doesn't go rogue and take over.

Another equally important aspect of digestive health is providing essential digestive enzymes, which aid us in breaking down our food into easily absorbent nutrients. Plant-based digestive enzymes, taken in conjunction with probiotics, help to heal the gut from the inside, allowing your body to take full advantage of the nutritious food you're eating.

There are, of course, natural ways that people can improve their digestive health and get the digestive enzymes they need in their system. There are terrific fruits and vegetables rich with digestive enzymes that will aid in the digestive process.

These special digestive enzymes help break down food and even hard-to-process parts of ingredients such as proteins. But those are not the only ways of getting the enzymes that you need.

These 11 foods should be consumed regularly to promote healthy digestion and remain flush with healthful digestive enzymes.

1. Kefir

This food has a similar texture to yogurt but is not as creamy. It is easy to consume as a drink. This particular drink is made from milk, fermented enzymes, and yeast.

It contain the enzymes that a person needs for healthy digestion and additional gut-friendly bacteria. There is more of this natural bacteria in kefir than in most yogurt.

2. Bananas

Bananas are rich in potassium, but there are additional benefits to eating bananas. Bananas contain the enzymes amylase and maltase.

Amylase is naturally found in saliva and is able to break down foods, including carbohydrates. Maltase is able to break down the malt sugars in the body and allow the digestive system to easily process these foods.

3. Soy Sauce

This condiment is often used to add a touch of saltiness to foods, but there is much more to it sauce than just its flavors. Its enzymes assist the body with breaking down proteins and carbohydrates.

It is made by fermenting soybeans with water, salt, yeast, and wheat. When selecting soy sauce, look for brands that do not contain artificial colors, as the coloring contains no nutritional value at all.

4. Pineapples

This fruit contains a compound that is called bromelatin. This compound is able to reduce the chance of developing cancer. It also contains strong anti-inflammatory properties.

A pineapple has a number of enzymes that will help with digestion. The fruit contains cysteine proteinases, which are able to help the body break down and easily digest protein. This enzyme will also help with the coagulation of blood and may be able to slow down the growth of a cancerous tumor before it's too late.

5. Avocados

This superfood has a number of health benefits, but digestion is a little known one of them. This food has a high level of healthy fat and it also contains lipase.

Lipase is a digestive enzyme that is used to help break down fat in your digestive tract. It can help reduce the symptoms of indigestion and discomfort. Avocados have also been found to reduce inflammation levels in the body, making this a great choice.

6. Bee Pollen

Bee pollen has just about everything that the human body needs to be healthy. It certainly has a number of digestive enzymes. In fact, bee pollen has over 5,000 different enzymes.

Bee honey can help support the immune system and it also contains natural antioxidants. These enzymes will also help the body with the digestive process. Bee pollen can be added to a number of different foods, including oatmeal, smoothies, and cereal. The health benefits are incredible.

7. Papayas

This fruit contains proteolytic enzymes and the enzyme papain. This will help keep the digestive system healthy and functioning properly. Papayas are considered to be one of the most effective foods and can aid with the digestion of meats and other tough-to-digest proteins.

| Related: Health Benefits of Papaya Seeds for Digestion |

There are also a number of anti-inflammatory properties in this fruit. Not only is it full of enzymes, its seeds are also healthy.

8. Sauerkraut

This is a commonly enjoyed fermented food. Foods that have been fermented are always great remedies for digestive issues and sauerkraut is one of the best foods at aiding the body and enhancing functionality throughout the digestive process.

Since sauerkraut is not cooked or heated, it is rich in many digestive enzymes. Raw sauerkraut is a top choice since it has not gone through the pasteurization process, which tends to reduce the amount of enzymes it contains.

This food is made with shredded cabbage that is allowed to ferment in its natural juices. Spices can be added to give it some more flavor, but they are not required. Cabbage has natural cultures to help with the fermentation process that can also aid your digestion.

9. Miso

Miso is a paste that is common in Asian dishes and in many restaurants around the country. The paste is made from the fermentation of soybeans, rice or barley, and salt.

The fermentation promotes a healthy community of digestive enzymes that aid and support your digestion. This paste can be added to a number of dishes for some extra flavor, and the health benefits that it offers are almost too great to list.

10. Kiwi

This fruit may be small but it brings powerful health benefits to the table when it pertains to your digestive system function. This fruit contains an enzyme known as actinidin, which will help break down proteins that are found in certain foods.

Actinidin is very good at helping the body break down foods including red meat, eggs, dairy, and fish. It's incredibly healthy to consume kiwi.

11. Tempeh

Many people do not actually know what tempeh is, but, once they hear how it can help with their digestive tract, they can become much more interested in it. Tempeh is used as a meat substitute, and vegetarians consume it to help them get all of the protein that they need.

| Related: The 5 Best Probiotic Foods You've Never Heard Of |

This food also has natural cultures that help with digestion. It goes through its own special fermentation process, which takes soybeans and makes them into cake-like forms. Since they are fermented, they keep the natural enzymes that aid with digestion and offer a slew of health benefits.

The Bottom Line

These are just some of the best foods that aid the body with the digestive process. These 11 foods have the enzymes that are needed to improve both digestive function and the breaking down of foods, minerals, and vitamins.

When a person is looking to have a healthy digestive system, they should increase their intake of these foods as well as consider starting a broad spectrum probiotic regimen supplemented with a potent digestive enzyme formula.

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Sources

1. http://www.liveinthenow.com/article/10-foods-rich-digestive-enzymes

2. http://www.e-buddhism.com/2017/06/6-enzyme-rich-foods-that-improve.html