Do you like it bitter? How healthy bitter substances really are!

Veröffentlicht am: October 03, 2024

Nutritionist and dietician

Forget "Sour makes you happy" - because bitter makes you healthy!

Bitter foods are often underestimated and maligned, especially in the culinary world, as their strong taste can put off picky eaters. But what many people don't know is that bitter foods and the bitter substances they contain have an extremely positive effect on our health.

In this guide you can find out more about how bitter substances can reduce the risk of various diseases and how best to consume them.

What effect do bitter substances have?

Bitter doesn't taste good to everyone and even if bitter foods may not be among the most popular products, they are certainly among the most nutritious.

Bitters are chemical compounds that activate our bitter taste receptors. This triggers a variety of signaling events that lead to the release of neurotransmitters. These in turn activate certain parts of the brain and generate parasympathetic regulation.

The "bitter reflex" when you eat a food with bitter substances is mediated by the hormone gastrin, which stimulates the digestive function.

But not only does your digestion benefit from the bitter substances, they also strengthen your immune system, help you lose weight and slow down the ageing process.

1. digestion benefits from bitter substances

For centuries, people have used bitter foods for digestion, to end a feast or round off a large meal. Interestingly, recent research suggests that bitter foods can stimulate the secretion of saliva and stomach acid. As a result, they promote healthy digestion. Some also use bitter foods to stimulate bile production. Bile is a fluid produced by the liver to break down and digest fats.

Bitter substances also stimulate the production of digestive enzymes. These enzymes, as the name suggests, are responsible for the digestion and absorption of many key nutrients in the body. This can maximize the absorption of several key vitamins and minerals that are important for health, such as calcium. This means that you can better protect yourself from deficiency symptoms and the associated health consequences.

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2. bitter foods support the treatment and prevention of leaky gut syndrome (permeable bowel)

Leaky gut syndrome (gastrointestinal hyperpermeability) is a condition in which toxins, bacteria and food particles from the digestive tract leak into the bloodstream. It can lead to a range of different symptoms of leaky gut, from chronic inflammation to fatigue, weight gain, skin problems and digestive issues.

Although there are many different potential causes of leaky gut, nutritional deficiencies are one of the most common triggers, along with other issues such as compromised gut health. Adding a few servings of digestive-friendly bitter fruits and vegetables to your daily diet can help protect and maintain intestinal permeability to reduce the risk of leaky gut.

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3. bitter substances strengthen the microorganism

You've probably heard it many times before, the center of your physical health is the gut. It is home to many different microorganisms that control and influence almost every aspect of your health.

The advantage of bitter foods is that they contain a high proportion of prebiotics.

Prebiotics are specific types of fiber that provide energy for the beneficial bacteria in your gut. By eating a nutritious diet and supplementing with bitter foods, you can ensure that the healthy gut bacteria get enough fuel.

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4. bitter substances support weight reduction

Bitter is the new sweet!

Another positive effect that can be observed when taking bitter substances is the stimulation of the liver. This is because bitter foods strongly stimulate liver cleansing, which not only helps to cleanse the system, but also balances out cravings for sweet foods. Bitter substances are a natural means of curbing the appetite. If you eat bitter foods, you will feel full more quickly. In addition, the craving for sweets is satisfied. You stay full for longer and can counteract a sugar addiction.

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5. bitter foods help prevent diabetes and lower cholesterol levels

Sweet foods such as sugar, sweets and even natural syrups can all lead to fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes, as excess fructose and simple carbohydrates stop the metabolism and cause the body to store excess fat.

Bitter substances help to keep your liver moving. This is necessary to regularly flush toxins out of the body. Essentially, this means that bitter foods help to balance your hormones and by eliminating accumulated toxins on a daily basis, cholesterol levels can be better controlled.

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6. slowing down the ageing process with bitter foods

Botanical bitter substances stimulate the production of lipids and protective proteins in the skin. As we age, the intensity of our bitter receptors develops. Studies show that the skin develops more bitter receptors with increasing age in order to counteract the thinning of the outer skin layer. Furthermore, the combination of bitter substances with bitter substance receptors located on the skin leads to a stronger surface metabolism and a strengthened skin barrier. The skin continues a healthy regeneration process, which leads to natural anti-ageing effects.

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The best way to consume bitter substances

As you can see from the guide, it is important to include bitter foods in your diet. Nutritious examples that can be easily incorporated into everyday cooking include: black cumin, chicory, broccoli, kale, eggplant, ginger, bitter cucumber, grapefruit, pomegranate extract, cranberries, turmeric, cardamom and saffron. In addition, there are various herbs that are also rich in bitter substances, such as angelica, dandelion, wormwood and artichoke leaves. Barley and wheatgrass powders are also rich in bitter substances and can be mixed into smoothies, for example.

Conclusion:

It is not for nothing that an old saying goes, "Good medicine tastes bitter to the palate". Bitter substances do us and our health a lot of good and, above all, strengthen our digestion. However, due to the microorganisms found in the gut, bitter foods influence much more, such as the weight loss process, the ageing process and our blood sugar levels. Integrate these nutrient-rich foods into your diet to benefit from them in the long term.

Sources (in English):

McMullen, M. K., Whitehouse, J. M., & Towell, A. (2015). Bitters: Time for a New Paradigm. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2015, 670504. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/670504

Tordoff, M. G., & Sandell, M. A. (2009). Vegetable bitterness is related to calcium content. Appetite, 52(2), 498–504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2009.01.002

Dandawate, P. R., Subramaniam, D., Padhye, S. B., & Anant, S. (2016). Bitter melon: a panacea for inflammation and cancer. Chinese journal of natural medicines, 14(2), 81–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1875-5364(16)60002-X

Lu, P., Zhang, C. H., Lifshitz, L. M., & ZhuGe, R. (2017). Extraoral bitter taste receptors in health and disease. The Journal of general physiology, 149(2), 181–197. https://doi.org/10.1085/jgp.201611637

Turner, A., Veysey, M., Keely, S., Scarlett, C., Lucock, M., & Beckett, E. L. (2018). Interactions between Bitter Taste, Diet and Dysbiosis: Consequences for Appetite and Obesity. Nutrients, 10(10), 1336. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10101336

Drewnowski. A., Gomez-Carneros, C. Bitter taste, phytonutrients, and the consumer: a review, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 72, Issue 6, December 2000, Pages 1424–1435, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/72.6.1424

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