eugenez@azure.UUCP (Eugene Zinter) (10/19/83)
This information might tie in a bit with some of the discussion going on about carcinogenic foods, etc. (For those NOT interested in the ENZYME content of this discussion, simply scroll down to the paragraph surrounded by ASTERISKS. For those who can't believe that activated enzymes could have any profound effect on a living creature, see the experiment described in the paragraph immediately following the paragraph surrounded by asterisks.) I ran across the book "Food Enzymes for Health and Longevity", by Dr. Edward Howell. He is supposed to be a pioneer in the field of health, discovering the vital role of enzymes in human nutrition over 40 years ago. It is also supposed to be the condensed research from over 435 medical and nutritional journals. For those who don't know, in general, all enzymes in food are inactivated when cooked, as is the practice found in the average American household. Unfortunately, enzymes within food are capable of assisting our digestive system in digesting said food. The following paragraphs are taken from the above-mentioned book: "Most civilized people eat cooked food. Dr. Howell carried out extensive work to minimize the damage due to such dietary indulgences. He was the first researcher to investigate the digestive enzyme supplementation for the cooked food eating vegetarian as well as mixed diet users. He noted that pancreatin enzyme supplementation was useless in the high acid of the stomach since it functions best in the high alkaline environment of the small intestine. The papain enzyme used in tenderizing meat needed high temperatures, beyond stomach range, so it was not fully potent as a supplement. Unripe papaya and pineapple work well on protein only. The best source of a mixture of digestive enzymes has been found in the different strains of the Aspergillus plants. They work on the full range of fats, proteins, carbohydrates and cellulose. Dr. Howell, in spite of doing the research and pioneer work on these most perfect enzymes, has maintained complete independence of any financial involvement with the manufacture and marketing of such products. ... As I searched for the perfect enzyme supplementation for those who still insist on using cooked food, and having experimented with most enzymes on the market, I found that the Aspergillus plant in capsules are best. Two to five capsules with the meal (preferably shaken out of the capsule) is best." The book is very strong on eating foods that are as unprocessed as possible in order to obtain optimum efficient nutrition. You might also find the following paragraphs of interest: ********************************************************************** "One of the most exciting recent developments in raw foods research is showing that raw inorganic produce are safer than cooked. Dr. William Newsome of Canada's Department of Health and Welfare Food Research Division, Bureau of Chemical Safety, found, for example, that cooked tomatoes contain 10 to 90 times more ETU (fetus-deforming and cancer causing compound) than raw tomatoes FROM THE SAME GARDEN. His studies showed that ETU is the heat caused end product of widely used EBDC fungicides. He states, "Generally the amount of ETU in cooked vegetables was about 50 times more than in uncooked vegetables.". ********************************************************************** In animal experiments a classical study by Dr. F. M. Pottinger was conducted for 10 years involving 900 cats who were fed cooked and raw food diets. Results were observed for 4 generations. The cats fed cooked food developed the spectrum of degenerative diseases found in OUR society. In each succeeding generation, the disease became more chronic. By the THIRD generation, REPRODUCTION BECAME IMPOSSIBLE. However, the cats fed raw food continued to produce from one generation to the next healthy litters of youthful, flexible, and active offsprings." The book is full of interesting statements from experiments done by a wide variety of people. The following address may yield further information of interest: The American Food Enzyme Concept Research Foundation P. O. Box 126 Woodstock Valley, Connecticut 06282 They not only sponsor and encourage research toward healthful, ecological living, but sponsor anatomical research to determine the weight, measurements and other characteristics of organs and endocrine glands of human and animal bodies which have not as yet been established statistically, for the purpose of giving physiologists the necessary data to formulate procedures for the promotion of health and for the effective management and cure of diseases. ECZ
dyer@wivax.UUCP (Stephen Dyer) (10/22/83)
I don't understand how these aspergillus enzymes work, if they're immediately deactivated by stomach acids. All proteins (and enzymes are proteins) are either denatured or hydrolyzed by stomach acids. They may have some effect if they get into the small intentine unscathed. Also, I don't know what to make of the results on cats. Are we to believe that the millions of pet cats eating "Tender Vittles" and other cat foods, all of which are cooked and processed to death, are having trouble reproducing? Tell that to your local humane society. /Steve Dyer decvax!bbncca!sdyer