Meet the Digestive Superfoods

When we eat, our digestive system—especially our stomach and intestines—get to work gleaning protein, vitamins, fats and carbs from our food. These nutrients enter your bloodstream, and our body puts them to use for energy, growth and repair, according to a new report on Reader's Digest. It’s all about the three digestive enzymes: protease, amylase and lipase.

The foods to promote in your stores that are high in these digestive enzymes will help your shoppers and add extra items to their basket.

Kefir is a fermented milk beverage that’s thick and creamy and is primarily sought out for its good-gut health benefits, including probiotics and digestive enzymes. Also kefir may be safe for people with lactose intolerances.

Raw honey contains amylase, protease, diastase and invertase.  

Ginger is well-known for its anti-nausea effects, but the root also contains a digestive enzyme called zingibain, which breaks down protein in the foods we eat.  

Miso is a rich source of digestive enzymes, including lactase, lipase, amylase and protease.  

Kimchi is also a fermented food that introduces a lot of healthy bacteria to the traditional Korean food, and the bacteria produce digestive enzymes that are good for our gastrointestinal tract and our body overall.

These are just a few of the foods that I would call digestive superfoods. Check with your retail dietitian for the complete list and how best to promote these foods to your shoppers. 

Oh, and there is one more: bananas. Sure shoppers know that bananas are rich in potassium but they may not realize that the enzymes in a banana break down carbohydrates in the food you eat and turn them into simple sugars the body can more easily absorb.