The following Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson,

and is narrated by Tina Lehman.

Enzyme supplements, uses, suggestions, and alternatives. Few would disagree that a primal way of life

advocates simplicity above all else. Healthy foods, strategic movement, and an aversion to stress

bordering on obsession. This simple-as-good mentality works swimmingly most of the time. Aligning our lifestyle

to our evolved biology allows us to achieve a modern semblance of that all-important homeostasis.

And I generally see no reason to tinker if it ain't broke. But unfortunately, it's not always so black and

white. Monoculture continues to favor

size and sexiness over nutrient density in our agriculture system, making it harder for us to

extract the vitamins and minerals we need from the food we eat. And these days, life tends to

include more sitting and stress than we can always fend off,

regardless of our good strategies and intentions.

This leads to something of a dilemma.

Subsist on simplicity and shake your head at the non-pureists,

or supplement to fill in the gaps of your otherwise stellar primal pursuits.

Digestive enzymes are one such gap filler,

boosting digestive efficiency and ensuring greater nutrient absorption.

I've mentioned enzyme supplements on occasion in the past,

and plenty of primal folks have raised questions on them from time to time.

The Dirt on Enzymes

Enzymes can be grouped into three broad categories, digestive enzymes, metabolic enzymes,

and food-based enzymes. Digestive enzymes, the type you'll see in enzyme supplements

...