Bitter Is Better: How This Overlooked Flavor Supports Gut Health

Are you a fan of the bitter flavor? Before I learned about the health benefits of bitters for digestive health, the only bitter food I regularly consumed was coffee. But since learning how bitter foods support gut health, I’ve become a huge lover and advocate for bitters.

What Are Bitters

Bitters are, as the name says, food and drinks that contain bitter flavor compounds. Bitter is one of the five basic tastes that the tongue can sense, along with sweet, salty, sour, and savory or umami. Our tongue developed the ability to sense these five tastes to communicate to our brain what was being eaten. Back when humans had to forage for food, these tastes provided valuable information about the food they were about to eat:

Sweet = High in carbs, the body’s main source of energy
Salty = High in minerals, helping the body maintain proper mineral balance
Sour = Ripeness and alerts to potential toxicity
Umami = High in protein, an important macronutrient
Bitter = Alerts to potentially poisonous substances

So, if the bitter flavor is there to alert us to the potential of being poisoned, why would we want to incorporate it into our diet?

This is where I start to geek out a bit because the human body is so COOL!

The Health Benefits of Bitters

Our tongue, stomach, small intestines, liver, and pancreas all have receptors for bitter compounds. When our tongue detects the bitter flavor in a substance, it sets off a chain reaction throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Because bitterness is associated with poisonous substances, our body knows to go on the defense when it detects bitterness. This is done primarily by ramping up digestive function.

Increased Digestive Enzyme Production

When the body detects something bitter, the gastrointestinal tract attempts to protect itself from this potentially poisonous substance by increasing the production of hydrochloric acid (HCl) in the stomach. This HCl is there to not only help break down food in the stomach but also ward off any unwanted substances that make it into the stomach.

The bitter flavor also stimulates the release of bile and pancreatic enzymes in an attempt to assist the body in breaking down and digesting the substance.

Increased Peristalsis

The bitter flavor also triggers peristalsis in the intestines. Peristalsis is the coordinated muscle movement in the gut that moves food through the digestive tract. By increasing peristalsis, the body is working to move the bitter substance through the digestive tract as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Increased Liver Function

The liver’s main job (though it has many) is removing toxins from the body. The bitter flavor helps to give the liver a boost by triggering an increase in toxin elimination and releasing gallbladder-supporting hormones.

So what does this mean for the therapeutic use of digestive bitters?

By ramping up the function of the digestive system, bitters help enhance proper digestion and absorption of nutrients from the foods we eat. And, as a result, bitters can be helpful for anyone dealing with symptoms of stagnant digestion like heartburn, indigestion, bloating, gas, and lack of appetite.

Adding Bitters To Your Diet

Of course, we don’t want to go out and start consuming actual poisonous substances to get these benefits. But including nourishing foods and herbs with bitter flavors in our diet regularly is a great way to keep all the digestive functions in our body running smoothly.

Unfortunately, our modern diet has all but eliminated the bitter flavor because, well, it isn’t exactly the most enjoyable flavor. And for bitters to activate the protective response in the body, it’s important that you taste that bitter flavor.

(Which means my coffee with maple syrup and oat milk isn’t doing the trick.)

One way to include more bitterness in your diet is through dark leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables. These foods, like kale, dandelion greens, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts, trigger the bitter response in the body and are also a good source of fiber. Both of which can help support healthy digestion.

It’s worth noting, however, that these options can also often be difficult to digest. So if you’re struggling with weak or stagnant digestion, it’s best to cook these foods first. This makes them easier to digest while still providing the health benefits of the bitter flavor.

Another option is to incorporate bitter herbs into your routine. A strongly brewed cup of dandelion leaf or chamomile tea is a great and simple way to experience the bitter flavor and help support digestion. (Just remember to go easy on the honey.)

My personal favorite, though, is using digestive bitters.

Of the many things I’ve tried to support my digestive health, bitters are one of the few things I’ve continued to rely on. Adding digestive bitters to your diet provides all the health benefits of bitters mentioned above. Plus, there’s an extremely low risk of adverse side effects.

Bitters don’t artificially create a reaction in the body to alleviate symptoms. They work with the body by encouraging the natural digestive process to occur. On top of that, bitters have been shown to have a tonic effect. That means they can create gradual but permanent improvements in digestion.

How To Use Digestive Bitters

Whether you make your own bitters or purchase them from a trusted company like Urban Moonshine or Mountain Rose Herbs, bitters are easy to add to your diet.

To get the most benefit, take digestive bitters at least 10-15 minutes before you eat. This gives the body a chance to start ramping up digestive function before it has to go to work.

You can also take bitters after a meal to alleviate heartburn, indigestion, or that sensation of food just sitting in your stomach. I carry a small bottle of bitters in my purse for exactly this reason.

As with all herbal remedies, a little goes a long way. Even just a few drops can be enough to stimulate digestion. But, for most people, ¼ – ½ a teaspoon is the sweet spot. Start on the lower end and increase the amount slowly until you feel the results.

Bitters can take a bit of getting used to since our Standard American Diet doesn’t include a lot of bitter flavors, so keep that in mind. But if you give them a try and use them regularly, I’m willing to bet you’ll be just as hooked as I am.

Have you tried bitters? I’d love to hear what you think in the comments!

Bitter Is Better: How This Overlooked Flavor Supports Gut Health

What Are Bitters

This is where I start to geek out a bit because the human body is so COOL!