I must dispute Geo's vitalism regarding enzymes.
                Not as a matter of 'pulling rank' but just to assure
listees that my opinions on this are well informed, let me mention that I
was for many years what in N. Amer would be called an assoc. prof. of
biochemistry, and I continue to work on a few aspects of biochemical
theory.



 >Enzymes are the only biologically active-living- component of the food =
>complex.

        This is about as wrong as it could be.  Much food is living  e.g.
an apple.  But enzymes are only protein molecules  -  thousands of
different molecules  -  found in food and in all living things.  Enzymes
are not alive.

>   This biological force is the very core of every enzyme. Various names =
>such as life energy, life force, life principle, vitality, vital force, =
>strength, and nerve energy have been offered to describe this =
>energy.Without the life energy of enzymes we would be nothing more than =
>a pile of lifeless chemical substances.
>In both maintaining health and =
>in healing, enzymes and only enzymes do the actual work.. They are what =
>we call in metabolism, the body's labor force.

        It is quite true that enzymes are essential in all life.  It does
not follow that they are themselves lving.  They can be purified and
studied like other proteins.  They are just chemicals  -  the most complex
that we know of, and extremely interesting, but not endowed with any of the
abilities unique to life (reproduction etc).


>    Let me say that each one of us is given a limited supply of bodily =
>enzyme energy at birth, although some would dispute this .

        Nobody could dispute that an individual is indeed born with a
limited amount of this or that enzyme.  But they are renewed, and increased
in amount, during growth.


>  This supply
>of enzyme has to last a lifetime.

        For all or nearly all, this is false.


>the mere touch of heat destroys them.
>If water is hot enough to feel uncomfortable to the hand, it will injure =
>enzymes in food and that includes honey.

        Most are not that labile.
        The recent discussion proposing time/temp combinations is along the
lines we need.

Sorry, Geo, but there is solid science on the matters you've raised and I
must stand up for it.

R


-
Robt Mann
consultant ecologist
   P O Box 28878  Remuera, Auckland 1005, New Zealand
                (9) 524 2949