Digestive Enzymes vs. Digestive Bitters
How to improve your digestion after meals
Have you ever felt so full after you ate and your meal was sitting at the bottom of your stomach, taking hours to be digested, bloated, tired, and feeling icky waiting for the fullness to go away. This is where digestive enzymes or digestive bitters may be able to help. But what is the difference?
Digestive Enzymes
We naturally produce digestive enzymes throughout our digestive tract which aid in breaking down our food. Sometimes we are unable to produce enough enzymes to properly digest and assimilate the nutrients and need to replenish our natural stores. The lack of our own digestive enzymes can be due to stress, dysbiosis, leaky gut, and inflammation. As we heal the underlying issues, it may be beneficial to use digestive enzyme supplements to temporarily replace our natural production.
Best when…
had a high carbohydrate meal
need extra support to break down dairy to prevent gas and stomach aches
tested for low pancreatic output through a functional stool analysis (GI MAP)
feel tired after meals
Digestive Enzymes include…
Amlayse
Lipase
Protease
Cellulase
Alpha-Galactosidase
Phytase
Best digestive enzyme product (this is personally my favorite)
Tip:
Keep 2-4 enzymes in your bag or pocket when you go out to eat whether it be at a restaurant or someones house.
Digestive Bitters
Digestive bitters are herbs that are just that….bitter. The bitter flavor stimulates receptors in the mouth causing a signal to be sent to the brain that activates all digestive functions. This stimualtes salivation, stomach acid to increase as well as movement throughout the intestines, bile gets released by the liver and then your own digestive enzymes are released from the pancreas. Digestive bitters are found in a tincture/liquid form so that you are able to place the bitter on your tongue to stimulate digestion. It is best to take the digestive bitters 15 minutes before a meal to help prepare your body for a meal.
Best when…
eating high fat and protein meals
feeling bloated, gassy, contipated
fatty stools
Top bitter herbs…
Artichoke
Burdock
Dandelion
Gentian
Goldenseal
Wormword
Combination tincture - Swedish bitters
Best digestive herbal bitter product…
Tip:
If you are out to eat at a restaurant and forget to bring your tincture, ask the bar for a shot of bitters and put it in water and drink before your meal.
So the question remains, digestive enzyme vs digestive bitters.
I would recommend digestive enzymes for short term while addressing the underlying cause of why there is bloating, gas, and discomfort after eating. Low pancreatic output and/or dysbiosis may be the cause and can be confirmed through a functional stool analysis that I recommend for patients with digestive distress. Once addressed, digestive bitters are helpful when you’re about to consume a high fat or high protein meals, when you’ve been recently under stress as your digestion will naturally slow, or when you have been constipated and need extra support to move your digestion. Digestive enzymes and bitters are very helpful during and after healing the gut. I like to incorporate it into the digestive protocols I recommend for patients, and I even use both in times of need.