The Forgotten Flavour: Why You Need Bitters for Better Health

higherhealthwellness
4 days ago
4 min read

In the modern Western diet, bitter foods have all but disappeared.

With our preference for sweet, salty, and processed flavours, we’ve lost an entire category of tastes that were once essential to human health. But it’s time to bring bitters back.

At Higher Health, we believe in restoring balance and function to the body naturally—and that means supporting digestion, detoxification, and microbiome diversity with the help of nature’s most overlooked food group: bitter foods and tonics.

🌿 What Are Bitters?

Bitter foods are an important part of a complete diet, and a commonly lacking element in the modern, Western diet. Bitters have a profound impact on our overall health and especially our digestive tracts, where they:

✅ Inhibit the growth of microbes

✅ Protect against oxidation

✅ Reduce inflammation

✅ Support healthy diversity in our microbiome

🌱 The Digestive Power of Bitters

Bitters also stimulate and tone the digestive system. When we eat bitter foods, a process is initiated which includes the secretion of:

✅ Saliva

✅ Pepsin

✅ Hydrochloric acid

✅ Intrinsic factor (necessary for absorption of vitamin B12)

✅ Bile

Regular consumption of bitters strengthens all components of the digestive system.

Bitters also:

✅ Stimulate our appetite

✅ Initiate contractions that help food move through our intestines

✅ Prevent acid from leaking into our esophagus

✅ Tighten junctions in our intestinal walls to protect against Leaky Gut

✅ Help prevent gassiness by aiding in breakdown and absorption of nutrients

✅ Improve extraction and absorption of key vitamins and minerals

This ability to improve digestion and nutrient uptake is key to the positive effects of bitters on our health.

🧪 Curious about your gut health? Wondering if Leaky Gut could be contributing to your symptoms?

Take our Gut Health Assessment Questionnaire and Maria will get in contact with your results:

Gut Health Assessment Questionnaire

🧬 Bitters for Gut Health

To maximize the benefit of including bitters in your diet, you’ll want to consume them about half an hour before your meal.

Here’s how to incorporate gut-supporting bitters into your day:

Add bitter greens to your salad, and eat your salad first. Great options include chicory, beet greens, dandelion, radish greens, arugula, and endive. You’ll also benefit from extra fiber, magnesium, and vitamins A, K, and E.
Use citrus peel—grated as zest or dried into seasoning blends. Citrus peels are antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, and may help prevent cancer.
Eat cranberries, which pack a bitter punch and offer major health benefits. They are high in antioxidants and support:
- ❤️ Heart health
- 💉 Blood pressure and blood sugar regulation
- 🛡️ Prevention of infections from H. pylori and E. coli
Use cacao, a healthful bitter food rich in:
- Copper
- Manganese
- Magnesium
- Iron
- Stick with dark chocolate and unsweetened cacao nibs to avoid added sugars and dairy.
Try prepared digestive bitters, available online and in health food stores. These are herbal tinctures—often alcohol-based—crafted from medicinal bitters like dandelion root, artichoke, gentian, and others.

👉 Your local health store will stock these—or reach out to Maria at Higher Health Wellness Centre for personalised recommendations.

💥 Bitters and Detoxification

Bitters also support the liver and detox pathways, helping your body to process and eliminate waste and toxins more efficiently.

They:

Stimulate liver and gallbladder function
Increase bile flow (important for fat digestion and hormone clearance)
Enhance the elimination of metabolic waste and excess hormones
Support clear skin and reduce toxin-related fatigue

In today’s environment, where we’re exposed to chemicals daily, bitters offer a natural way to support internal cleansing.

💚 Common Bitter Foods to Include

Here are some excellent bitter foods to include in your diet regularly:

🥬 Rocket (arugula)
🍃 Dandelion greens and root (tea or salad)
🍂 Radicchio
🥦 Kale
🥗 Endive
🥬 Artichoke
🍈 Bitter melon
🌿 Turmeric
🍊 Grapefruit peel (in moderation)
🍎 Apple cider vinegar (before meals)

🔄 Getting Used to Bitter Takes Time

At first, bitter foods might seem unpalatable—especially if your taste buds are more accustomed to sweet and salty flavours.

But the body learns to love what it needs.

Over time:

Your taste for bitters can grow
Your cravings for sugar and processed foods may lessen
You may start noticing better digestion, clearer skin, and more energy

The more you include them, the more natural it feels to crave whole, vibrant, health-supportive foods instead of processed ones.

💬 Final Thoughts

Bitters are more than just a flavour—they are a forgotten pillar of wellness.

If you struggle with:

❌ Digestion issues

❌ Bloating

❌ Sluggish detox

❌ Skin conditions

❌ Microbial imbalances

…introducing bitters daily could be a game changer.

At Higher Health, we incorporate bitters into many of our programs for digestion, hormone health, and energy restoration. If you’re ready to reconnect with this ancient wisdom and modern science, let’s find the right approach for you.

💚 Want to learn more about your own gut health?

Take our quick Gut Health Assessment Questionnaire—it’s free, easy, and Maria will personally review your results:

Gut Health Assessment Questionnaire

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