FODZYME vs. Beano: Which Is the Best Digestive Enzyme

Digestive issues like gas, bloating, and abdominal pain after eating can significantly impact your quality of life and relationship with food. While many people follow the low FODMAP diet to relieve digestive issues, it's not the only option. Digestive enzymes can help with conditions like lactose intolerance and FODMAP intolerance, but finding the right digestive enzyme supplement to manage your symptoms can be tricky. 

FODZYME and Beano are two digestive enzyme supplements that can improve digestive comfort and reduce gas and bloating, but there are some differences to consider. While Beano is a single-enzyme supplement containing only alpha-galactosidase, FODZYME is a novel enzyme blend that includes alpha-galactosidase and two other digestive enzymes (fructan hydrolase and lactase). 

So, which product should you use? This article will explore the key differences between FODZYME and Beano, how they work, and which product may be best for you.

What Is FODZYME?

FODZYME is a powdered enzyme blend designed to break down three types of FODMAPs. FODMAPs (which stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols) are short-chain, fermentable carbohydrates that our digestive system struggles to fully break down. Because they resist digestion in the small intestine, they reach the colon intact, where gut bacteria ferment them. This produces gas and may also draw water into the colon. Bacterial fermentation is a normal part of the digestive process, but it can cause troublesome symptoms for certain people.

While many people can eat high FODMAP foods without experiencing digestive issues, people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) often struggle with symptoms related to eating FODMAP-containing foods. This is because IBS patients frequently have extra-sensitive digestive tracts (known as visceral hypersensitivity). When the gas produced by FODMAP fermentation presses on the walls of the digestive tract, many people with IBS experience abdominal discomfort.

The low FODMAP diet is a temporary elimination diet designed to help control IBS symptoms and identify your specific FODMAP triggers. However, while FODMAPs can trigger symptoms in people with FODMAP intolerance, they are important for overall digestive health and should not be restricted long-term.

That's where FODZYME comes in. FODZYME contains three specific enzymes: lactase (to break down the lactose found in dairy products), alpha-galactosidase (to break down the galacto-oligosaccharides, or GOS, found in legumes and cruciferous vegetables), and fructan hydrolase (to break down the fructans found in wheat, onions, garlic, and certain vegetables and fruits).

If you're following a low FODMAP diet but want to expand your dietary choices to include more high FODMAP foods without triggering IBS symptoms, FODZYME can help you do so while minimizing digestive discomfort.

How FODZYME Digestive Supplements Work

Digestive enzymes are proteins that break down food components so they can be absorbed and used by the body. While the body naturally produces many digestive enzymes (such as amylase, which breaks down carbohydrates into simple sugars), certain foods are harder to digest because the body lacks the required enzymes. This can cause digestive problems after eating these foods.

FODZYME is a powder blend of digestive enzymes that breaks down fructans, GOS, and lactose. Enzymes in powder form may be more effective because they mix directly with your food, initiating the breakdown of fermentable carbohydrates immediately. Breaking these carbohydrates down before they reach the colon limits bacterial fermentation. This can minimize digestive symptoms such as gas, bloating, stomach pain, and diarrhea when you eat common IBS triggers like onions, garlic, wheat, and dairy products.

FODZYME Pros

There are several key benefits to using a multi-enzyme product like FODZYME, including:

• FODZYME is certified low FODMAP and is also gluten-free, dairy-free, and free from artificial additives, making it a suitable option for a wide variety of dietary needs

• FODZYME is available in a convenient jar for home use or single-serve stick packs for on-the-go use

• Using FODZYME when you eat FODMAP-rich foods enables you to reduce symptoms like gas and bloating without a restrictive diet, which can be challenging to maintain long-term and may negatively affect digestive health

• FODZYME can address multiple FODMAP sensitivities, as it contains three digestive enzymes for breaking down fermentable oligosaccharides (GOS and fructans), as well as lactose

• FODZYME has been clinically validated. It was tested using SHIME, which simulates the digestive system. Studies have shown that 90% of fructans are broken down within 30 minutes. Additionally, when FODZYME was used, it limited, but did not eliminate, the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which support gut health. This suggests FODZYME can help minimize symptoms associated with FODMAP consumption while also allowing you to benefit from eating fiber-rich, high-FODMAP foods.

FODZYME Cons

While FODZYME is a good option for many people, there are some instances where it might not be the best choice:

• If FODMAPs aren't triggers for your symptoms, FODZYME may not deliver the expected results

• There may be a learning curve associated with using a powdered enzyme product that needs to be sprinkled directly on food. However, when it comes to FODMAPs, powdered enzymes are more effective than pills or capsules because they mix directly with the food and immediately start breaking down the FODMAPs

• FODZYME does not break down polyols and excess fructose (two other FODMAP categories)

• It works during digestion, so you’ll need to use it each time you’re eating FODMAPs to see a benefit at that meal

• If you're just sensitive to one type of FODMAP (such as lactose or GOS), a single-enzyme supplement may be a better choice

What Is Beano?

Beano is another popular digestive aid known for helping with gas and bloating caused by high fiber foods, particularly those high in GOS, such as beans, lentils, and cruciferous vegetables. It offers a convenient solution for people sensitive to GOS who want to enjoy high FODMAP foods without discomfort.

How Beano Works

Beano contains a single enzyme, alpha-galactosidase, that helps break down complex carbohydrates (GOS) in beans, lentils, cruciferous vegetables, and certain whole grains and nuts. By breaking down complex carbohydrates before they reach the colon, Beano reduces bacterial fermentation in the large intestine, which limits gas production and can relieve gas, bloating, and abdominal pain.

Beano specifically focuses on the oligosaccharides found in legumes, as well as certain vegetables, nuts, and whole grains.

Beano Pros

Beano can be a good choice because:

• It's gluten- and lactose-free, making it a suitable choice for people with these dietary restrictions

• Research shows that alpha-galactosidase supplements effectively reduce gas and bloating associated with consuming foods high in GOS for people with IBS

• It can increase your tolerance for gas-producing foods like legumes, nuts, and whole grains. These are healthy foods to include in your diet because they act as prebiotics (food for your good gut microbes)

• They're suitable for people following a vegetarian or vegan diet

Beano Cons

There are also some downsides to Beano, including:

• Many Beano products contain mannitol, which is a common FODMAP trigger (it belongs to the polyol group of FODMAPs, which can trigger diarrhea due to their water-pulling ability)

• They're only available in tablets or capsules, which are less effective than powdered enzyme products

• It doesn't contain fructan hydrolase or lactase, so it won't help with gas production or provide relief from symptoms related to fructans or lactose.

FODZYME vs. Beano: Which Should You Take? 

Both FODZYME and Beano are designed to improve digestion and reduce gas. Beano should be taken before meals, while FODZYME should be sprinkled directly on your food.

However, while Beano only contains a single digestive enzyme (alpha-galactosidase) designed to break down the GOS in beans and other high-fiber foods, FODZYME contains enzymes designed to target three different FODMAPs (lactose, GOS, and fructans).

You may decide to use different enzymes based on what you're eating. For example, if you were eating a simple meal of beans and rice, Beano may be a good choice. In contrast, if you're eating a burrito with cheese, salsa, and a whole-wheat wrap, FODZYME would be a better choice, as it breaks down multiple FODMAPs.

Here's a breakdown of each product:

Before deciding which enzyme supplement to take, it's important to speak with a healthcare provider to rule out other digestive disorders and to ensure the supplement will not interact with any other medications you may be taking. Additionally, if you're struggling to transition from a restrictive diet to a more liberal one, working with a registered dietitian experienced with the low FODMAP diet can be beneficial.

Possible side effects of both digestive enzyme supplements include mild gastrointestinal symptoms like gas and bloating.

When You Should Take FODZYME

FODZYME is the better option if any of the following apply to you:

• If you experience digestive distress after eating multiple different types of FODMAPs

• If you have IBS-like symptoms and struggle with gas, bloating, and abdominal pain after eating high FODMAP foods

• You want a flexible option that can be used on foods containing multiple different FODMAP categories

When You Should Take Beano

If you're sensitive only to the GOS found in beans, lentils, certain vegetables, whole grains, and nuts, Beano is a good option.

Overall, Beano is a good option for bloating after eating  foods rich in GOS, while FODZYME is the best digestive enzyme for gas and bloating from foods containing multiple FODMAPs (specifically, fructans, GOS, and lactose).

Discover Digestive Freedom With FODZYME

If you're struggling with IBS symptoms and wondering how to get rid of gas and bloating when you eat FODMAP-rich foods, FODZYME can help. It's a convenient option that is sprinkled on your food and starts breaking down FODMAPs immediately. It can help manage IBS symptoms like gas, bloating, and abdominal pain in those with FODMAP sensitivities. 

FODZYME is a good option for people who responded well to the low FODMAP diet but want to protect their long-term digestive health by gradually reintroducing high FODMAP foods.

Try FODZYME today and experience digestive freedom.