Natural Healing - Bitter is Better Befriending the Bitter Herbs

By Gina Mohammed, Ph.D., Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., C.N.S. and Laurel Vukovic

Recently, my mother treated me to a meal of bitter melon. Starting with light-green fruit that resembled warty cucumbers, she sliced the gourds thinly, discarding the seeds before cooking the slices in her ancient, blackened iron pot. She prepared it the Caribbean way—sautéed in a little olive oil, with onion, garlic, tomato, salt, and fresh pepper, until the slices were tender and fragrant—and then served it over hot rice. It was a savory and unusual lunch, the combination of bitter, tangy, and salty flavors teasing the palate with subtle surprises.

She has cooked bitter melon for decades, but this was the first time that I ate it willingly, having learned of its restorative benefits for the digestive system and a host of related ailments. I was happy to discover that something with medicinal powers could taste so good.

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia), known also as bitter gourd and several other names, is a popular food in the West Indies and Asia, where it grows abundantly, but it is also found in southern California and southern Florida. It is one of many plants that have been used for centuries to support the health and vigor of the digestive organs.

Recipes:
Fruit Juices
Spring-time Beauty Tips 

The bitter herbs

Bitter herbs are a cosmopolitan bunch, ranging from the seriously bitter gentian (Gentiana lutea), bitter melon, wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), horehound (Marrubium vulgare), and goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) to the milder-tasting dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), chicory (Cichorium intybus), endive, lettuce, chamomile (Matricaria recutita), yarrow (Achillea millefolium), milk thistle (Silybum marianum), peppermint (Mentha ¥piperita), echinacea (Echinacea spp.), tea (Camellia sinensis), and coffee. They are replete with biochemicals such as glucosinolates, tannins, terpenes, isothiocyanates, alkaloids, phenols, isoflavones, flavonoids, catechins, and saponins (all of which can contribute bitter flavors), which help the plants to fight pests.

In humans, bitter herbs can stimulate the appetite, aid digestion, tone up the liver and kidneys, and derail a host of diseases. Bitter melon, in particular, has been shown in studies to have a remarkable capacity to lower blood sugar, owing partly to chemicals such as beta-sitosterol-d-glucoside and charantin; and to ease rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, because of immunosuppressive constituents such as alpha- and beta-momorcharin. Its phytochemicals, lanosterol and xeaxanthin, are considered to be cancer-preventive, and the saponin diosgenin helps to protect the liver. Not surprisingly, given the role of bitter chemicals in plant defense, bitter melon also has antibiotic properties.

Bitters’ benefits

Bitter herbs, in general, can galvanize our digestive systems to function at their peak by stimulating the production of digestive juices and the dispatch of stored bile (necessary for fat digestion and sugar metabolism) from the gallbladder to the small intestine after meals, thus aiding nutrient assimilation. Bile itself is a natural laxative.

Gentle bitter herbs such as dandelion support the liver in detoxification and bile production without inducing dependence on the herb. Dandelion roots have been used for centuries to treat jaundice, the yellowing of the skin that results from a malfunctioning liver. Dandelion flowers are rich in lecithin, a nutrient effective in various liver ailments. The herb also reduces serum cholesterol and uric acid (a factor in gout). Nutrient analyses conducted by the USDA and others have shown that dandelion greens are richer in vitamin A than carrots, and exceed the vitamin B, C, and D content of most other common vegetables. As a diuretic, dandelion leaves help to flush excess water from the body, without depleting the body’s potassium.

The activities of many other bitter herbs are continuously being updated, as we learn more about these fascinating plants. Chamomile, used for centuries as a tonic, has been validated scientifically for its anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, antibacterial, antifungal, sedative, liver-stimulating, and dermatological properties. Gentian root—the most bitter plant known—acts on all of the glands and organs of the digestive system, including the gallbladder, pancreas, liver, and kidneys; it is considered particularly promising for the diabetic or pre-diabetic, and also appears to help normalize thyroid function (likely indirectly). Extracts of chicory, whose ground roots are often used as a coffee additive or substitute, have been found in animal studies to inhibit certain types of allergic reactions. Even the humble lettuce is noteworthy in helping to combat asthma, bronchitis, cancer, cardiac conditions, hyperglycemia, and circulation problems.

Changing our diets

So how do we get more of these bitter plants into our everyday diets? The choices are plentiful: they can be used fresh in salads, in soups and other cooked dishes, and in herbal vinegars, teas, or juices. Their extracts also come as tinctures, capsules, or powders.

Cooking the herbs reduces the bitterness but also destroys some phytochemicals and nutrients, so try to avoid cooking for too long (steam or sauté for no longer than a few minutes). Strong bitter herbs such as the bitter melon can tolerate longer cooking times and still retain an assertively bitter flavor.

How much of the fresh or cooked bitter herb is enough? Your taste is a good guide here, as the very bitter herbs can be overpowering even in moderate quantities. Recent studies have shown that humans possess a multitude of bitter taste receptors, so we’re very sensitive to these chemicals. A little as a side dish or mild tea is probably the most satisfying. (For example, to make dandelion tea, simmer 1 teaspoon of ground root per cup of water for 10 minutes; sip before meals or at bedtime.) Even a few drops of commercial herbal bitters in your juice may be to your liking—these formulas commonly contain gentian. Endive leaves in salads are a wonderful addition, but use only a few leaves as a complement rather than as the main salad ingredient. The same goes for other bitter salad constituents such as dandelion or chicory leaves (the flowers of both can also be used).

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.

Sodium’s role

To begin with, sodium is crucial for maintaining the health of every cell in the human system. It permeates the fluid between cells (often called the extracellular fluid) and potassium exists mainly on the inside of the cells (in the intracellular fluid). These two minerals need to be in a constant dynamic balance so nutrients and waste can move across cell membranes. If either of these minerals is deficient or in excess, cell permeability becomes compromised and the health of all of the cells suffers.

Besides being a component of extracellular fluid that bathes every living cell, sodium is important in two other “salty oceans” in the body—our blood and our lymphatic fluid. It is also necessary for the production of hydrochloric acid, the digestive enzyme secreted by the stomach in order to digest protein. Along with potassium, sodium is required for the proper functioning of our nerves and the contraction of our muscles. (The heart, as you may know, is our hardest-working muscle.) Finally, sodium is necessary to maintain several kinds of equilibrium—fluid balance, electrolyte balance, and pH (acid/alkaline) balance—which are all of the utmost importance to the body.

With the many crucial roles sodium plays, it’s clear that if we had no sodium, we would cease to exist. Obtaining adequate, easily absorbable sodium from foods then is important for maintaining health, but obtaining too much of the wrong kinds of sodium is harmful.

Like fat, sodium is often misunderstood. Sodium and fat are nutrients we need for health, but not all forms of them are healthy.

Health concerns

Most of us already know that excessive salt consumption contributes to the development of high blood pressure, but recent research shows that it is also associated with strokes, calcium deficiency and osteoporosis, fluid retention, weight gain, stomach ulcers, and stomach cancer. However, reducing sodium too much can be just as harmful as consuming large amounts of it. Too little can cause spasms, poor heart rhythms, an increase the risk of heart attack in hypertensive patients, and even sudden death. Understanding the role sodium plays in the body and the difference between “good” and “bad” sources of sodium will help you get the salt out of your diet while you still meet your sodium needs.

How much salt?

Just how much salt do we consume? According to The Sodium Counter (Pocket Books, 1993), the average American’s salt intake is two to three teaspoons per day. This may not sound like a lot, but it provides 4,000 to 6,000 milligrams of sodium a day—which can be more than double the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s maximum recommended daily quantity of 2,400 milligrams.

No other mammal eats this much salt and no other mammal has the health problems we do. High blood pressure, for example, was never even seen in animals until researchers found they could induce it either by surgery or by introducing large amounts of salt into animal’s diets.

We unknowingly absorb excessive salt not only from the food we consume, but also from an unsuspected source: the salt-softened water in which we bathe. Because the American Heart Association now warns that salt-softened water can cause an elevated sodium level, many health-conscious Americans no longer drink salt-softened water. Few realize, however, that we receive a lot of unwanted sodium every time we take a shower or a bath or wash clothes in softened water. Sodium is very efficiently absorbed through the skin and topically ingested salt has become a common culprit of excess sodium.

Part two of this column will appear in the next issue (May/June 2003) of Herbs for Health.

Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., C.N.S., is one of the foremost nutritionists in the United States. She is the author of The Fat Flush Plan (McGraw Hill, 2001), Eat Fat, Lose Weight (Keats, 1999), and Why Am I Always So Tired? (Harper San Francisco, 1999).

Healthy Fruit Juice Recipes

Increase your fruit intake this spring by adding one of these healthy juices to your diet. The juices are as delicious as they are nutritious, so get out your juicer and enjoy.
APPLE-CARROT-GINGER
CITRUS MEDLEY
BLUE WATER
BERRY BEST

Herbal Research Updates

Kathi Keville

Hot answer to back pain

Everyone knows that cayenne pepper (Capsicum annuum) is hot stuff. However, when its active compound, capsaicin, is applied to the skin, it relieves pain rather than producing it. Unlike many pain relievers, capsaicin doesn’t work by reducing inflammation. Instead, the compound blocks production and transport of “substance P,” a chemical that carries pain messages from nerve endings in your skin to control headquarters in your central nervous system. Double-blind clinical studies indicate that it helps relieve the nerve and muscle pain caused by conditions such as osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia, whether or not there is inflammation. To test the efficiency of capsaicin on back pain, a double-blind, parallel-group, placebo study applied a capsicum plaster on the backs of 154 volunteers who had been dealing with chronic back pain for at least three months. Nearly one-third of them found that their pain was quickly reduced. After three weeks, another 31 percent were feeling less pain, and it was easier for them to get around and to function in general. Tolerating the treatment was actually easier for those using capsicum rather than the placebo group because it provided so much pain relief, although some volunteers reported discomfort. Previous studies have shown that a burning sensation can last for up to three days in some people. In another recent study, when an analgesic balm made with capsaicin and methyl salicylate (aspirin) was applied on the skin, it decreased muscle contraction and the resulting discomfort. This suggests that capsaicin relieves pain by signaling muscle receptors. While a capsaicin or cayenne plaster is effective, an easier way to treat back pain is with the over-the-counter capsaicin cream sold to treat shingles. In clinical trials, it gave 75 percent of the people with shingles who tried it complete or substantial pain relief and it is also being tested on other painful skin problems, such as diabetic neuropathy, psoriasis, and pain after surgery.

Selected sources: Ichiyama, R. M., et al. “Effects of topical analgesics on the pressor response evoked by muscle afferents.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2002, 34(9): 1440–1445.

Surh, Y. J. “More Than Spice: Capsaicin in Hot Chili Peppers Makes Tumor Cells Commit Suicide.” Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2002, 94(17): 1263–1265.

Heart-healthy hawthorn increases energy

The hawthorn tree (Crataegus spp.) is admired throughout its native Europe for its attractive spring blossoms and its deep-red berries in the fall. Preparations made from its leaves, flowers, and berries are also a favorite of many European doctors as a nontoxic remedy to relieve symptoms of congestive heart failure. In Germany, some doctors prescribe hawthorn instead of drugs such as digitalis for mild cases of heart disease. It is also used there to reduce the dose of prescription heart medications. (Don’t take hawthorn with prescription drugs without the guidance of a health practitioner—hawthorn can make the drugs you’re taking too potent.) Most modern studies have been conducted with hawthorn flowers, leaves, or twigs, although traditionally, herbalists use the berry. A recent German study of eighty-eight people with congestive heart failure gave participants a standardized extract made from the fresh berries. The berry extract not only decreased their difficulty in breathing while exercising 11 percent (compared to only 4 percent with a placebo), it also improved their energy level and quality of life. The three-month randomized, double-blind placebo study showed that exercise time on a stationary bicycle went up nearly 50 percent in those taking hawthorn compared to the placebo. The study’s researchers declared hawthorn is an effective and safe treatment. Long-term use may also lower blood pressure, according to a British study. Thirty-six people with mildly high blood pressure took a hawthorn extract (500 mg) or magnesium supplements (600 m.), a combination of both, or a placebo. Blood pressure dropped in all of the groups, including those taking a placebo, but resting diastolic pressure fell the most with hawthorn after ten weeks of use. The extract was also found to reduce feelings of anxiety.

Sources: Rietbrock, N., et al. “Actions of Standardized Extracts of Crataegus Berries on Exercise Tolerance and Quality of Life in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure.” Arzneimittelforschung 2001, 51(10): 793–798.

Walker, A. F., et al. “Promising Hypotensive Effect of Hawthorn Extract: A Randomized Double-blind Pilot Study of Mild, Essential Hypertension.” Phytotherapy Research 2002, 16(1): 48–54.

Pomegranate benefits

There’s increasing interest in herbs that provide a natural way to regulate hormones and to prevent estrogen-based cancers. Rather than resulting in an oversupply of hormones, researchers are discovering that many plant-based hormones gently signal the body’s responses while blocking the more carcinogenic forms of hormones such as estrogen. The Pusan National University in Korea decided to test out one of the most potent sources of plant estrogens: pomegranate (Punica granatum). Researchers there found that the fermented juice, seed oil, and a water extract of the seed covering may help prevent breast cancer by inhibiting estrogen receptors in breast cancer cells. Pomegranate seed oil was particularly effective. Pomegranate’s estrogen-modifying action is thought to be caused by compounds called polyphenols, which inhibited estrogenic activity 55 percent and cancerous lesions by 47 percent in mammary glands. These compounds also reduced oxidation by decreasing enzyme activity up to 79 percent. Plus, pomegranate fruit is a strong antioxidant that is also good for the heart. During a three-and-a-half month Israeli study, cholesterol dropped 20 percent in volunteers who drank pomegranate juice. It increased factors that protect against lipid oxidation 29 percent in only two weeks and greatly reduced the size of lesions associated with hardening of the arteries and produced less clumping of blood cells compared to a control group.

Sources: Kim, N. D., et al. “Chemopreventive and Adjuvant Therapeutic Potential of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) for Human Breast Cancer.” Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 2002, 71(3): 203–217.

Aviram, M., et al. “Pomegranate Juice Consumption Reduces Oxidative Stress, Atherogenic Modifications to LDL, and Platelet Aggregation.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2000, 71(5): 1062–1076.

Antioxidants for IBS

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) can be very bothersome, causing chronic, sometimes severe diarrhea, pain, spasms, belching, nausea, heartburn, and loss of appetite. It is estimated that 10 percent to 25 percent of the U.S. population suffers from it, although the cause and cure eludes doctors. Researchers now suspect that the symptoms may be caused by free radicals produced by the colon’s inflamed lining. Five herbs often used to treat the condition—slippery elm (Ulmus rubra), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), devil’s claw (Harpagophytum procumbens), Mexican yam (Dioscorea villosa), and tormentil (Potentilla erecta)—were all found helpful in easing the symptoms. Except for Mexican yam, all five herbs proved to be strong antioxidants. The study’s researchers, who worked with the Academic Department of Adult and Pediatric Gastroenterology and Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry in London, England, feel that herbs may provide “novel” remedies to treat IBS. In another study, an extract of artichoke leaf (Cynara scolymus) also relieved the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome when 279 volunteers who had at least three of the typical symptoms of IBS took two capsules of a standardized extract (320 mg each) per day for six weeks. The treatment was rated as good or excellent by 84 percent of the participants and there were no serious side effects reported.

Sources: Langmead, L., et al. “Antioxidant Effects of Herbal Therapies Used by Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.” Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics 2002 16(2): 197–205.

Walker A. F., et al. “Artichoke Leaf Extract Reduces Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in a Post-marketing Surveillance Study.” Phytotherapy Research 2001, 15(1): 58–61.

Antioxidant herbs

Antioxidant herbs reduce free radical production, which results in less destruction of cells. They are also suspected of slowing down the aging process. Even using small amounts of these herbs seems to have beneficial results. Because the essential oils found in many herbs tend be antioxidants, researchers at the University of California at Davis conducted two independent assays to evaluate them. Of the plants they tested, the most potent antioxidants were from thyme (Thymus vulgaris), basil (Ocimum basilicum), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), chamomile (Matricaria recutita), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), and cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), in that order. Thyme and basil were so strong that they inhibited oxidation for forty days. A previous study at the University of Illinois, Chicago, found that thyme contains forty different antioxidants and that basil contains more than thirty! Thyme’s potency was comparable to the common food preservative BHT and vitamin E. Rosemary’s antioxidant properties help heal stomach ulcers, apparently by increasing protective mucus in the digestive tract lining and lowering levels of substances that produce inflammation. Rosemary was investigated for use as a natural food preservative and now researchers in Italy think it could be a good addition to skin creams or lotions. They found it protects the complexion from cellular damage by minimizing free radical damage to skin cells and may even help cells tolerate stress from oxidation and slow deterioration of their DNA.

Selected sources: Lee, K. G. and T. Shibamoto. “Determination of Antioxidant Potential of Volatile Extracts Isolated from Various Herbs and Spices.” Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry 2002, 50(17): 4947–4952.

Calabrese, V., et al. “Biochemical Studies of a Natural Antioxidant Isolated from Rosemary and its Application in Cosmetic Dermatology.” International Journal of Tissue Reactions 2000, 22(1): 5–13.

Springtime Beauty Tips - Recipes

Laurel Vukovic

Spring is the perfect time for revitalizing your body-care routines. Try these fresh, easy-to-make herbal recipes to smooth your skin, condition your hair, and rejuvenate your entire body.

Baths
PURIFYING LAVENDER-CITRUS BATH
MOISTURIZING CHAMOMILE MILK BATH

Body scrubs and polishes
STRAWBERRY-LAVENDER BODY SCRUB
AROMATHERAPY BODY POLISH

Hands and feet
LEMON-ALMOND HAND PACK
AROMATHERAPY CUTICLE TREATMENT
PEPPERMINT FOOT SCRUB

Hair care
ROSEMARY CLARIFYING RINSE
AVOCADO MOISTURIZING HAIR PACK

Facial skin care
ROSE PETAL-YOGURT SCRUB
FRUIT ENZYME MASK
ELDER FLOWER-ROSE TONER

Eye and lip care
CHAMOMILE EYE SOOTHER
ORANGE-MINT LIP BALM 

Laurel Vukovic writes and teaches about herbs and natural healing from her home in southern Oregon. She is the author of 14-Day Herbal Cleansing (Prentice Hall, 1998) and Herbal Healing Secrets for Women (Prentice Hall, 2000).