Natural Healing: Bitter is Better Befriending the Bitter Herbs

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One of the unfortunate results of current food processing practices is that bitter compounds in many plants are routinely removed or selected against because consumers dislike the bitter taste and often believe it is due to the presence of toxins. Consequently, the medicinal value of many foods may be diminished. Ironically, it is the bitter taste in some foods that complements and intensifies the flavors of other foods, making our meals more enjoyable.

Effective use

While toxicities to common bitter herbs are not generally a problem, there are exceptions. For example, bitter melon should not be consumed during pregnancy because of risks to the fetus. Also, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has reported neurological problems associated with extracts of wormwood, another bitter plant. (Absinthe, an apéritif traditionally made from wormwood, is now available in wormwood-free formulations.) Further, you may be allergic to some plants, especially dandelion, endive, thistle, yarrow, or chicory. Finally, bitter herbs in high doses may cause some individuals to vomit when given in liquid form. A little goes a long way with bitter plants, so don’t overdo it.

Many herbalists maintain that a bitter herb must be tasted in order to stimulate the digestive glands, hence they advise against swallowing pills or capsules that bypass the taste buds. However, the activities of digestive glands respond to overlapping signals from the head, stomach, and intestine, so taking a capsule when you can’t have the real thing should not preclude your benefiting from the herb’s action. (It’s just more fun to eat the plant!)

As for me, from now on I’ll be adding bitter melon to my grocery list and spicing up my fruit juices with a few drops of bitters. It’s a start.

Gina Mohammed, Ph.D., is a plant physiologist living in Sault Ste. Marie, Canada. She is the author of a recent book, Catnip and Kerosene Grass—What Plants Teach Us About Life (Candlenut Books, 2002). E-mail her at mohammed@onlink.net.

The reference list for this article is extensive. If you would like a copy, please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to “Bitters,” Herb Companion 1503 S.W. 42nd St.  Topeka, KS 66609 or email editor@herbcompanion.com

NUTRITION

Understanding Salt and Sodium

Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., C.N.S.

Sodium is essential to life. Sodium is so important, in fact, that humans have a specific sensor on the tongue that can detect salt. Thousands of years ago, when the diet of humans was potassium-rich and sodium-poor, this sensor for salt was a crucial survival tool. Nature, in its infinite wisdom, devised a way to help humans (as well as animals) seek out salty foods so that they could be assured of receiving adequate sodium from their diets. This is important because sodium—often found in the form of sodium chloride or salt—plays countless roles in the body.

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