The Beauty of Bitters

The underdog of the flavour family, bitters have had a bit of a bad wrap but I am hopefully here to change your mind and start to introduce some more bitter flavours into your diet. They have an incredible array of health benefits with current research uncovering just how beneficial they are to human health.

Historically bitters were used to ‘prime’ the digestive tract before meals and to aid in general digestive function with the effects only being initiated once you tasted the bitter flavour. Hence why bitter formulas (herbs/foods/aperitif bitters) were commonly taken before the main meal. These bitter receptors were only thought to be found on the back of the tongue but modern science has found we actually have bitter receptors throughout the body including the upper and lower respiratory tract, digestive tract, heart, brain, on immune cells and endocrine cells.

This discovery has led to research on bitters being shown to play a role in supporting conditions such as allergies (food/skin/sinus etc), type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, gastro-intestinal conditions such as SIBO, IBS and dysbiosis, as well as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Bitters are cooling in nature so we can see how the energetics of bitters can help to ‘cool’ an inflamed or irritated body system which can be seen in inflammatory conditions such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, allergies and a reactive immune response. They can aid in a decending energy reducing internal heat (esp in the liver) and build up of fluids (think water retention and swelling) while also helping move waste from the bowels and aid in optimal digestive capability.

Some further benefits of bitters include:

• Improve bile secretions

• Increase pancreatic digestive enzymes

• Glucose homeostasis

• Promote satiation

• Regulate metabolic function

• Improve innate immune function

• Reduce IgE dependent mast cell activation (reduce allergy reactions)

• Detoxify the liver and digestive system

• Aid in healthy bowel movements

• Reduce systemic inflammation

• Reduce water retention

• Improve lymphatic detoxification (to aid in skin conditions including acne and eczema)

• Reduce candida overgrowth and pathogenic bacterial overgrowths

How to use bitters with food as medicine:

Did you know that some people can taste the bitter flavour and some not? This can be due to a genetic basis with a range of people having very different reactions to bitter foods with a small percentage not tasting it at all. Depending how you taste these bitter flavours, you may want to start with a blend of bitter/sweet foods first then make your way up to the richer bitters as you become accustomed.

Bitter foods include:

Dandelion leaves, radish, artichoke, kale, rocket, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli sprouts, radicchio, bitter melon, amaranth (bitter/sweet), celery (bitter/sweet), quinoa (bitter/sweet), lettuce (bitter/sweet), citrus peel, and asparagus (bitter/sweet), papaya (bitter/sweet).

Bitter herbs include:

Gentian, Wormwood, Feverfew, Dandelion root, Burdock, Yarrow, Echinacea, Hops, Chamomile, Motherwort

“Gentian, Wormwood and Feverfew together activate 12 of the 29 human bitter receptors”

- Kerry Bone

Who are bitter foods suited for?

Bitter foods are beneficial to every-body although how much and how often should be taken into consideration as all foods should be. Bitters are cooling and dry, indicated for those who are feeling heavy, sluggish, overheated, feeling ‘hot’ in the body and with heated emotions such as anger and aggression.

Caution should be taken with those who are cold in nature, deficient, weak constitution and dry who may need more building and moistening foods in conjunction with a small amount of bitters.

Using food energetics you can combine foods and herbs to balance out their unique properties. For example, mixing bitters with warming spices in some individuals can soften the cooling effects of bitters. Gentian and ginger is a common combination used in naturopathic medicine to improve digestion due to its balance of warm and cooling qualities as is Licorice root for its sweetness to soften the bitterness.

In closing…

Apart from the systemic effects of bitters, they also have an affinity for the heart space. From a Five Elements perspective, the bitter flavour ‘enters’ the heart, cleansing, cooling and centering, while toning up a stagnant liver, making more energy available to the heart. Thus, softening the effects of anxiety, depression and opening the heart space for love (to self and others), compassion and a sense of calm.

"Adding bitters back onto your palate could take the bitterness out of life”

~~~

Inspirations:

Manipulating Taste for Therapeutic Effect by Kerry Bone

Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford

Welcoming Food by Andrew Sterman