Trouble Digesting Protein? Let’s Fix It!

High quality protein is an essential macronutrient for our bodies, and animal-based sources like meat, poultry, fish, and raw dairy are ideal because they are rich in bioavailable nutrients. However, some say “I can’t digest meat, I’ve tried, but it hurts my stomach.” So, if animal protein is so good for us, why do some people have such a hard time digesting it?

I’ll discuss the real issue behind this statement and provide tips to help improve protein digestion to ensure you reap the full nutritional benefits without issues.

What Your Body Needs to Digest Protein
Your body cannot absorb protein as it is because it’s too complex. Protein needs to be broken down into amino acids in order to be easily absorbed. To do this, your body needs two things:

Hydrochloric acid (HCl) aka stomach acid
Pancreatic Enzymes

Digestion of animal protein begins in the stomach, where gastric juices containing hydrochloric acid (HCl) and pepsin break down protein structures into smaller peptides.

In the small intestine, the pancreas releases enzymes like trypsin and chymotrypsin, which further break down peptides into amino acids for absorption.

You should understand that it is the combination of many enzymes, and not your stomach acid, that breaks the food down. The stomach acid is needed to activate the enzymes. Without the stomach acid, the enzymes will remain inactive and ultimately halt the digestive process. As we get older, our body produce less enzymes. This is why you may notice older people having more trouble digesting proteins.

Even further, enzymes require a certain pH level to operate effectively. The pH level refers to the balance of alkalinity and acidity in an environment. The enzymes need your stomach to be highly acidic.

How to Solve Your Protein Digestion Problem
Thankfully, You don’t have to give up your love for meat. There’s a better way, keep reading!

Add enzyme-rich foods to your diet (or add digestive enzyme supplements)
When you eat enzyme-rich foods, your digestive system is under less stress. This is because your body doesn’t have to dig in to your pancreatic enzymes reserve. Increasing the amount of vegetables and raw fruits you consume is the best way to get these enzymes.

Since cooking food destroys living enzymes, avoid over-cooking and opt for recipes where more raw ingredients are included.

Having said that, I know some individuals struggle with a sensitive stomach and can’t handle raw foods. If this is the the case for you, start with taking digestive enzymes. Click here for my favorites.

Combine foods sensibly
If you eat protein and starchy foods together, it requires your stomach acid to go into overdrive. A typical example of such a meal is meat with potatoes or chicken with biscuits, two traditional Western combos. These combinations cause issues because carbohydrates and proteins are digested in different ways. Neither the protein nor the starch gets handled effectively in your digestive system, which leads to fermentation in your gut, which feeds hostile microbes.

The idea behind strategic food combining is that the digestion of starches (grains, potatoes, sweet potato, beets, and many other roots) requires alkaline conditions, whereas the enzymes that digest proteins thrive in a more acidic environment. So, when you eat a starch and a protein together, you’re essentially asking your digestive system to be alkaline and acidic at the same time.

Marinate Proteins

Marinating meat or fish with herbs, spices, and acidic ingredients like lemon or vinegar can pre-digest some of the proteins, making them easier to break down during digestion.

Chew your food properly
This might seem like a small thing, but it is crucial. This simple act of chewing your food properly helps to reduce stress on the esophagus and pancreas. Your saliva contains enzymes that are released when chewing which pass into the throat and stomach which further improves the digestive process.

Chewing also sends a message to your brain that eating and digestion has begun. Digestion is one of the most energy-consuming processes of the body, so chewing your food well helps prepare the rest of the body.