Herbal Action: Bitters

Also called: Digestives, Stomachics

Bitter herbs promote the flow of digestive juices when tasted, benefiting digestion through a stimulating action. Bitterness triggers taste receptors that signal the body to prepare for digestion — increasing saliva, stomach acid, bile, and enzyme production before food even arrives.

What they do:

• Stimulate the flow of digestive juices when tasted

• Benefit and stimulate overall digestion

• Have a direct effect on the nervous system and the gut

• Stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system

• Help counteract physical and, to some extent, emotional depression

How they're used: 

The bitter taste itself is the active mechanism — bitters work best when actually tasted on the tongue rather than taken in capsule form, since that's what triggers the digestive and nervous system response. A few drops of bitters tincture on the tongue before meals is a traditional and effective way to use them.

When to consider them: 

For constipation, diarrhea, reflux, indigestion, dry mouth, anemia, liver congestion, IBS, jaundice, skin eruptions, and food sensitivity. Regular use in the diet supports smooth and efficient digestion, regulated excretion, steady blood sugar, improved fat metabolism, and an overall grounding effect.

Herbs

• Agrimony

• Angelica

• Angostura

• Barberry

• Blessed Thistle

• Bugle

• Chamomile (steep long enough to get the bitter flavor)

• Dandelion

• Gentian Root

• Gold Thread

• Hops

• Horehound

• Mugwort

• Oregon Grape

• Peach Bark

• Rhubarb

• Rue

• Wormwood

• Yellow Root

• Blue Vervain

• Burdock

• Alfalfa (mild)

• Yarrow

• Yellow Dock

• Turmeric

• Artichoke Leaf

• Motherwort

• Rosemary

• Milk Thistle

• Wild Yam