We are all familiar with the idea of craving something sweet or salty. But do you ever crave something bitter? While bitters may not currently be on your cravings list, your body is wise and will start to hunger after the benefits of bitters over time. All three of these flavors have evolved into descriptions of feelings and personality traits. Being “sweet” is a good thing. Observing that someone is “salty” refers to sass, irritation, and even a foul mouth, but is still an upbeat term used humorously. “Bitter,” on the other hand, is a negative word to describe a level of nastiness no one wants to be around! While you may not want to be bitter emotionally, from a digestive perspective, bitter foods are where it’s at! If you are not accustomed to bitters, you should be. Here are the reasons bitters should be your go-to flavor:

Dietary Wellness Assistant

Bitters assist your body in making healthier food choices overall. Bitters help to curb cravings while stimulating an appetite for nutritious foods. 

Nutrient Rich

Bitters are usually those dark leafy greens that are too often misunderstood at the grocery store, or they can be found amongst the weeds you are constantly battling in your yard. Regardless of where you find them, it would be sensible to take the time to look them over at the store and research how to prepare them. Or turn some of your weed patches into fresh produce at no cost! In doing so, you will load your body with oodles of potent nutrients that are both highly nutritious and protective for your cells. 

Tastebud Sidekick

Bitters jump into action the second you put them in your mouth, waking up taste buds and kicking them into hyperdrive. Due to their biting flavor, chewing bitters helps activate the brain to start releasing digestive chemicals and notifying the digestive players in the body. They help stimulate enzymes in the saliva that alert the digestive system to start creating bile. Taking bitters in capsule form would, of course, override this action, but are still beneficial.

Digestive Companion

Bitters are your best friend when it comes to the digestive process. Amongst some of the supportive actions instigated by bitters are the ability to encourage certain organs such as the stomach, pancreas, and liver to effectively produce crucial digestive enzymes, support smooth muscle function, enhance digestion time, fight negative digestive responses, and help support healthy digestive tissue over time. 

Healthy Organ Advocate

Your organs benefit greatly from bitters. Bitters support a healthy pancreas, normal blood sugar balance and a healthy bloodstream. They gently nourish liver and support liver function and detoxification.

These are just some of the benefits of adding bitters to your diet. Bitter extracts go great in cocktails, too, and a big push culturally for bitters has been driven by creative bar concoctions (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) as well creative culinary recipes that include bitters in soups, salads, pies, and ice cream! Overall, bitters benefit your body and support health and wellness in ways no other food or supplement can.