Digestive Bitters
From the book "Herbal
Prescriptions for Better Health"
by Donald J. Brown, N.D. (pages 34 and 35)
My 11-year-old son would argue that all herbs are bitter and taste like
something intended to poison him. His perspective is clouded by the fact
that his dear old dad used to try out different vile-tasting herbal tinctures
on him during naturopathic training.
The bitter taste associated with many herbs (particularly the root or
rhizome portion) is the basis for using them to stimulate digestion. When
a bitter substance hits your tongue, taste buds tell the brain to signal
the mouth to produce more saliva, and the stomach to release more acid
to help break down food. Some research on bitters also suggests a stimulating
effect on the pancreas and increased production of digestive enzymes and
bile flow. The bottom line is that one feels hungrier and digests better
after consuming an herbal bitter.
If your digestion is sluggish due to poor production of stomach acid,
you'll find bitters particularly useful. If you notice a lot of bloating
and gas after eating a meal high in protein, try taking an herbal bitter
immediately before eating. Stomach acid production also has a tendency
to decrease as we age. Herbal bitters are frequently prescribed for elderly
persons who produce less stomach acid and experience sluggish digestion.
Commonly prescribed herbal, digestive bitters include:
- Gentian root and rhizome
- Dandelion root
- Yellow dock
- Blessed thistle
- Centaury
- Barberry bark
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