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Bitter substances as a secret weapon for our health
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So bitter – so healthy!

Bitter substances as a real secret weapon for our health
Lifestyle & Health
Selection of vegetables, tomatoes, onions, spring onions, chicory, radishes, carrots, peppers, cabbage

Did you know that bitter ingredients are a genuine miracle cure for our diet and health? Naturally, they often take some time getting used to, but after a few days, you can get used to the bitter taste and train your taste buds so that this bitterness becomes a pleasure.

But what exactly are the advantages of bitter substances, and where can these valuable plant substances be found? How can these ingredients be easily used in the kitchen and combined in a tasty way for our diets? Here, we wised up and summarised everything for you in a compact overview.

Selection of vegetables, tomatoes, onions, spring onions, chicory, radishes, carrots, peppers, cabbage

Index

Quick information

Benefits

Nutrition

Recipe tips

Quick info: What are bitter ingredients?

Bitter ingredients were used in monastic medicine to aid stomach problems, such as stomach bitters. They are still used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) or Ayurvedic teachings, and around 6,000 bitter plants are used for treatments. But in the modern world, we are no longer used to bitter-tasting substances – whether edible or drinkable. These plants’ taste does take a bit of getting used to, but the positive effect on our health is undisputed. Bitter substances are produced by plants primarily as a natural protection for their survival. These substances are contained in flowers, fruits, leaves or roots.

Dried fruit, nuts, seeds, raspberries

The benefits: why bitter substances are so valuable

There are many reasons for using bitter substances. Some of the most important ones we have summarised below:

  • Boosting your metabolism
  • A positive effect on digestion
  • Support of the liver function
  • A blood purifying effect
  • Stimulating the production of gastric acid and bile
  • Helps you to feel fuller sooner and reduces food cravings
  • Support against hyper-acidity and helps with detoxing
  • Support of the immune system
Oranges, lemons, grapefruit slices

Bitter ingredients in our nutrition

Bitter substances can be found in vegetables, fruit, herbs, and spices—a diverse palette of options that can be easily included in our daily diets. Bitter substances are mainly found in many types of vegetables, especially green vegetables. These include spinach, celery, fennel, broccoli, rocket leaf (arugula), chard, cabbage, artichokes, radicchio and chicory. Herbs include sage, rosemary, nettle, dandelion, lovage, coriander, thyme, or tarragon are rich in bitter substances. Bitter fruits include grapefruits, lemons, quinces or kumquats. Turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and caraway are all spices full of bitter substances.

This multifaceted range offers a vast opportunity to integrate bitter substances into almost all dishes quickly and easily. If you find it challenging to consume bitter substances, a green smoothie made from vegetables, herbs, and spices is a good idea. It’s ideal to prepare and enjoy a green smoothie first thing in the morning. Try it for a fortnight, and you will notice how good and healing the bitter substances are. After ten days, our taste buds will become used to the bitter taste, which might taste really good!

Herbs in hot tea water in a glass cup
Preparation of matcha green tea, matcha broom, matcha powder, hands
Green mint leaves
Small orange kumquats
Green juice, glass, slice of lime

Bitter ingredients in the kitchen: ideas and recipe tips

How can you use bitter ingredients' healing effect in your daily cooking?

Green smoothie: Bitter and healthy

Ingredients: 2 stalks of celery, 1/3 of a cucumber, a handful of organic rocket, 4-5 chicory leaves, 1/2 apple, one small piece of ginger, one pinch of cinnamon, one pinch of turmeric powder, 100ml lukewarm water

Method: Wash the fruits and vegetables. Place all the ingredients into a mixer and puree them. Enjoy!

Cabbage, green apple, cucumber, parsley, celery

Rocket and basil pesto: Simply delicious

Ingredients: 150g organic rocket, a handful of fresh basil leaves, 25g pine nuts, 25g walnuts, 50 ml olive oil, the juice of ½ lemons, a pinch of salt and pepper, and grated parmesan to taste.

Method: Wash the vegetables and mix them with the remaining ingredients and puree.

Glass with green pesto, rocket, green and white cloth

Green pasta dish: Spaghetti on bitter sauce

Ingredients: 200g spaghetti, three celery stalks, one broccoli, 100g organic rocket, three tablespoons olive oil, the juice of one lemon, salt and pepper, and parmesan.

Method: Wash and cut the vegetables and cook the spaghetti. Pre-cook the broccoli and set aside. Fry the celery in a pan with some olive oil and add the broccoli. Add the lemon juice and rocket to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Put the spaghetti in the pan, pour over the remaining olive oil and mix well. Garnish with parmesan to taste and enjoy!

Pasta, green vegetables, tomatoes, feta cheese

Have you got a (bitter) taste?

Then, with this in mind, we wish you a healthy hiking season!

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