A bitter dish for better health

Your taste buds may trick you into thinking otherwise, but your body actually craves bitter foods. And giving in to those healthy, hidden cravings can do wonders for your digestive health.

Humans have naturally evolved to avoid extreme bitter flavors because they can sometimes signal toxicity— but in measured doses, many foods with a tinge of bitterness have potent medicinal benefits.

Looking all the way back to ancient Egypt, people began using wines and herbal concoctions crafted for bitterness to reap incredible digestive benefits. And the famous doctor and father of modern toxicology Paracelsus, during the 16 century, brought to the Western world mainstream acceptance of the idea that bitter flavors—even when they indicate mild toxicity— can be great for health.

“Poison is in everything, and no thing is without poison. The dosage makes it either a poison or a remedy,” he wisely said.

Paracelsus developed a bitter elixir that is still marketed today as a remedy for a huge number of ailments ranging from digestive distress to joint pain.

His concoction, known as the Paracelsus Elixir, contains: Licorice, Nutmeg, Aloe, Turkish Rhubarb, Calamus, Myrrh, Theriac Venetian, Zedoary root, Dittany, Gentian, Angelica Root, Kaolin, Carline thistle, Camphor, Tormentilla, Mace, Senna and Saffron.

But before you go searching for the ingredients to concoct complicated bitter elixirs, understand that there are simpler ways to enjoy the huge health benefits of a little bitterness.

In fact, did you know that the popular practice of eating a salad before a big meal actually has its roots in the wisdom of using bitter ingredients as a digestive aid?

You see, bitter foods set off a digestive chain reaction that begins with your taste buds. Within seconds of your first taste of something even mildly bitter, your mouth floods with enzyme-rich saliva that kicks off the process of breaking down food so that your body can best absorb nutrients. Next, the hormone gastrin stimulates the secretion of hydrochloric acid in your stomach, priming it to further draw each and every essential nutrient from the food you eat.

Farther down the digestive line, a little bitter flavor increases bile production in the liver and gallbladder, lubricating the intestines for peak nutrient absorption and helping to prevent slow digestion that can lead to constipation and other issues.

Our modern Western diets have turned salads into a nutritionally deficient piles of iceberg lettuce soaked in high calorie dressings. And if you’re eating many of those, you’re only tricking yourself into believing it’s good for your health.

So try a better, bitter salad before your next big meal. Here are some ingredients you should consider for digestive bliss:

• Kale
• Nettles
• Dill
• Dandelion
• Parsley
• Radish
• Cilantro
• Arugula
• Fenugreek seeds

The trick is not to mix so many bitter ingredients that you create a dish you have to choke down, but to find a balance of bitter flavors with whichever of these ingredients work best with your palate.

Top it off with a dressing of balsamic vinegar and your choice healthy oil to add a bit of sweet and savory and balance the salad’s bitterness. Get your salad recipe just right, and the digestive benefits will become just a perk of noshing on your new favorite dish.