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Bitter flavors increases the efficiency of our digestive tract and our overall wellness.
Spring has sprung! The trees in my neighborhood are already budding and some are blossoming. In a recent post I wrote about spring cleaning my life and now I want to talk about spring cleaning our digestive systems.
Yes, I said digestive system! Our digestive systems work better when we give it attention. The winter months foods are indulgent and comforting. They help us through the cold nights (or through this year long and counting pandemic). Yet, when Spring comes along, it is a good idea to change up our diets with the warmer weather.
The digestive systems primary function is to turn the food into nutrients. The body uses the nutrients for energy, growth and regeneration.
When does the digestive process begin?
The digestive process begins the moment you smell your food.
Have you noticed when you smell something good you start to salivate? That means your brain sent a message to your digestive system to get ready to do its job.
The second part of digestion is when you start chewing your food into small pieces. There are specific receptors on the tongue that trigger saliva to continue the process of breaking food down into a form your body can absorb and use. The digestive process continues but this is all I will say about it here.
There are five basic taste profiles you are familiar with and embrace: sweet, salty, sour, and umami flavors but how comfortable are you with bitter flavors? Most people are not at ALL comfortable with bitter flavors and avoid them. However, bitter flavors send signals to the digestive system to wake it up so it can get to work.
Bitter flavors also assist in the process of breaking down sugars from sweets and carbs and curb cravings. This process increases the efficiency of our digestive tract and our overall wellness. Most importantly of all (to my vain self) bitters support beautiful, healthy, and clear skin because it helps to break down our food.
Bitters support beautiful, healthy, and clear skin.
My love of bitters started in 2016 when I attended a class called Bitters for Digestion. I didn't know anything about bitters but I was drawn to that class and I'm glad I followed my
instinct and signed up because what I learned in that class has stuck with me ever since. The teacher taught us about bitters by having us taste approximately 20 bitter herbs. All the while asking us to determine which herbs appealed to us and which didn't. It resulted in me purchasing 6 of the bitter herbs, roots, and seeds to create my very own digestive bitters blend. Ive have been hooked on it ever since.
I usually have a YesSpiral Bitters tincture bottle in my bag to take before and after meals. I also take it when I'm craving sweets or when I want to cleanse my palate.
Which are bitter herbs?
Gentian works to strengthen digestive activity and to release stomach acid.
Angelica is carminative and helps to prevent and expel gas.
Dong Quai promotes absorption of food.
Fenugreek is anti-inflammatory.
Sage is antimicrobial and a tonic for the digestive system.
Cardamon soothes the digestive system and smells and tastes great.
Have you ever taken a bitters tincture as medicine?
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