Yes, Many Foods Do Contain Amylase

January 13, 2026 •

3 min read

Recent studies suggest that bacteria present in raw honey contribute significantly to its amylase content, challenging the previous belief that it came solely from bees. For those asking, 'Do any foods contain amylase,' the answer is yes, and adding them to your diet can provide supplementary digestive support.

Quick Summary

Several raw and unprocessed foods, including ripe fruits like mangoes and bananas, raw honey, and sprouted grains, contain natural amylase enzymes. This enzyme aids in the digestion of starches and complex carbohydrates.

Key Points

Ripe Mangoes and Bananas: These tropical fruits contain amylase, with enzyme activity increasing as they ripen and sweeten.
Raw Honey: This sweetener is a treasure trove of digestive enzymes, including amylase, though heat processing destroys these benefits.
Sprouted Grains: Sprouting increases the bioavailability of enzymes like amylase, which helps break down the grain's starches.
Consume Raw: To gain the full benefit of dietary amylase, it is crucial to consume these foods in their raw and unprocessed state.
Fermented Foods: Kimchi and miso are examples of fermented foods that contain amylase and other beneficial enzymes.
Digestion Aid: The amylase from certain foods can supplement the body's own enzymes, which are produced in the pancreas and salivary glands.

The human body naturally produces amylase in the salivary glands and pancreas to break down starches and complex carbohydrates into simpler sugars. However, certain foods also contain this enzyme, which can supplement the body's natural digestive process. Incorporating these foods into your diet, especially raw, can be a beneficial strategy for supporting digestive health.

Fruits and Vegetables with Natural Amylase

Several fruits are known to be rich sources of amylase, with the enzyme's activity often increasing as the fruit ripens. The amylase helps convert the fruit's starches into sugars, which contributes to a sweeter taste and softer texture.

Mangoes: Particularly ripe mangoes, contain a high concentration of amylases that help break down starch. This is why they become increasingly sweet as they mature.
Bananas: Another great source, bananas contain amylases and glucosidases that break down starches during the ripening process, making them sweeter and easier to digest.
Apples: In varying amounts, apples contain amylase, which also aids in the breakdown of starch and contributes to the fruit's texture and sweetness.
Sweet Potatoes: These contain beta-amylase, an enzyme that contributes to the breakdown of starches.

Grains, Sprouts, and Fermented Foods

Amylase is also present in certain grains and foods that have undergone a fermentation or sprouting process. These methods activate enzymes, making them more bioavailable.

Sprouted Grains, Nuts, and Legumes: Sprouting triggers the production of enzymes like amylase to help the seed grow. Eating these sprouted foods can provide a boost of natural enzymes.
Barley: This grain contains a significant amount of amylase, which is why it's a key ingredient in brewing and malting. The enzyme breaks down the grain's starches to provide energy for the germinating plant.
Kimchi and Miso: These fermented foods are made with microorganisms that produce a variety of enzymes, including amylase, protease, and lipase.

Raw Honey: A Unique Source of Amylase

Raw honey is a unique and potent source of digestive enzymes. It's a natural treasury of amylase (diastase), invertase, and protease. The presence of amylase in honey is a key indicator of its freshness and lack of heat treatment, as high heat processing destroys these delicate enzymes. Furthermore, research suggests that the bacteria, specifically Bacillus subtilis, in the honeybee's honey sac also contribute to the amylase content in honey. For these reasons, choosing raw, unpasteurized honey is essential to get the full enzyme benefit.

Comparison of Dietary Amylase Sources and Bodily Production

While dietary amylase can assist digestion, it's important to understand its role relative to the amylase produced by the human body.


Feature	Dietary Amylase (from food)	Endogenous Amylase (from body)
Source	Raw fruits, sprouted grains, raw honey, fermented foods	Salivary glands (mouth) and pancreas
Function	Supplements the body's natural digestive processes	Initiates starch digestion in the mouth; continues and completes it in the small intestine
Active State	Requires consumption in a raw/unprocessed state to be active	Produced fresh in the body as needed for digestion
Heat Sensitivity	Highly sensitive; cooking and heating destroy the enzymes	Not a factor; produced internally
Bioavailability	Can be readily available if food is consumed properly	Constantly available via saliva and pancreatic secretions

How to Maximize Your Intake

To get the most out of amylase-containing foods, consider these simple preparation tips:

Eat Raw: As enzymes are heat-sensitive, consume foods like fruits, sprouts, and raw honey without cooking or high-temperature processing.
Chew Thoroughly: Chewing breaks down food and mixes it with your saliva, which contains its own amylase, starting the digestive process right in your mouth.
Add Fermented Foods: Incorporate kimchi, miso, or raw sauerkraut to your meals to benefit from their natural enzymes and probiotics.

Conclusion

Foods such as ripe mangoes, bananas, sprouted grains, and raw honey do indeed contain natural amylase, an enzyme that assists in breaking down starches. While your body has its own robust system for producing amylase, incorporating these raw, enzyme-rich foods can provide supplementary support for carbohydrate digestion. To ensure you're getting the full benefit, always choose raw and unprocessed versions of these foods, as heat exposure can destroy their valuable enzyme content. Remember that a balanced diet rich in a variety of whole foods, both raw and cooked, is the best approach for optimal digestive health. You can find more information about digestive enzymes and natural food sources by visiting reliable health resources such as this Healthline article on the topic. Healthline: A Complete Guide to Digestive Enzymes and How They Work

Frequently Asked Questions

No, the human body produces its own amylase (salivary and pancreatic amylase). However, the amylase found naturally in some raw foods can assist the body's digestive processes.

Digestive enzymes, including amylase, are sensitive to heat. Cooking and processing foods at high temperatures will destroy the beneficial enzymes present.

Amylase activity increases during the fruit ripening process to break down complex starches into simpler, more easily absorbed sugars, which is why ripe fruit tastes sweeter.

Only raw, unprocessed honey retains its natural enzymes, including amylase. Processed and heated honey has its enzymes destroyed due to the high temperatures.

Many foods contain other beneficial enzymes, such as papaya (papain for protein), pineapple (bromelain for protein), and avocados (lipase for fats).

For most people, the body produces sufficient amylase. Consuming amylase-rich foods is a way to supplement this process and support overall digestive health.

Yes, certain fermented foods like kimchi and miso contain enzymes, including amylase, that are produced by the microorganisms involved in the fermentation process.

No, milk does not contain amylase. However, some fermented dairy products like kefir contain enzymes such as lactase and proteases, but not typically amylase.