Bitter substances

Bitter substances: secret superheroes in food

Deeply hidden in many foods is a hero that is often overlooked - bitter compounds! These small but mighty compounds are the superheroes of flavor that not only make for an interesting culinary experience, but can also support your well-being.

Bitters are the rebellious rock stars of the flavor world. They can be a bit of a challenge for some palates, but trust us, they make food really exciting! From crunchy kale leaves to dark chocolate, you'll find these little explosions of flavor everywhere that make eating an adventure.

Where can you find these hidden heroes?

Well, they're everywhere! In vegetables, herbs, spices and even fruits or drinks. Here are some examples of foods in which you are sure to come across bitter substances:

• Green leafy vegetables: broccoli, spinach, kale, rocket, endive, chicory
• Herbs: parsley, coriander, basil, thyme
• Spices: Turmeric, ginger, cinnamon
• Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content
• Olives and olive oil
• Grapefruits and other citrus fruits, especially their peel
• Artichokes
• Radicchio
• Bitter melons (e.g. bitter cucumber)

You can even find bitter substances in a cup of coffee or a glass of red wine . In wine, there are some polyphenols and tannins, which are particularly abundant in the skins, stems and seeds of grapes.

A typical bitter compound in coffee beans is chlorogenic acid, which occurs naturally in coffee beans. Caffeoylquinic acids, which give coffee its characteristic bitter taste, are not natural. They are only formed during the roasting process of the coffee beans. As you can see, "bitter" is on the table and in your stomach more often than you probably think.

Why do many vegetables and herbs have bitter substances?

Bitter substances are a clever survival strategy for plants, as they serve as natural defense mechanisms against predators. By producing a bitter taste, they deter animals that want to eat their leaves or fruit. In this way, plants can survive better and reproduce magnificently.

But here's the trick: while these bitter substances often have a deterrent effect on animals, they are not only tolerable and usually tasty for humans, but also offer special benefits for the human body. For example, they can help to stimulate our digestive system and improve the absorption of nutrients.

Bitter substances effect: stomach and digestion like "bitter"

After a sumptuous meal, it can happen that our stomach feels heavy and digestion is a little sluggish. But this is where bitter herbs and plant substances come into play to give the digestive system a boost! These natural helpers offer a wealth of benefits for the stomach and digestion, especially after a meal.

Stimulating the digestive function

Bitter herbs such as ginger, turmeric and basil contain bitter compounds that are said to stimulate the production of digestive juices. These juices, including saliva in the mouth, stomach acid, bile and enzymes, help to efficiently break down and digest food. This leads to less bloating, a lighter feeling in the stomach and faster processing of the nutrients ingested.

Soothing the stomach

Some bitter herbs such as chamomile and peppermint are traditionally considered to be soothing for the stomach. It is not without reason that many people drink tea made from these herbs when their stomach is rumbling. After a heavy meal, the bitter substances in peppermint and camomile can help to relieve stomach cramps and reduce general discomfort. A settled stomach can help you feel lighter and more comfortable after a meal.

Just give it a try if you've gone a little overboard at dinner!

"Bitter heroes" in the Feelgood Shop

And here they are: the bitter heroes from the Feelgood Shop. In addition to various herbal drops for oral intake, we also have valuable grapefruit extract with lots of vitamin C on offer for you:

BITTERKRÄUTER from Vitactiv: A carefully balanced blend of 14 herbs to provide support for bloating and flatulence. The high-quality drops also contain zinc and choline. You can choose between two variants with and without alcohol.

HERBAL DROPS from Pure Ella: These drops are specially tailored to the needs of women and contain a variety of herbs and plant extracts. They support the stomach and digestion and help with cravings. Here, too, you have the choice between two variants with and without alcohol.

GRAPEFRUIT CORE EXTRACT with vitamin C from naturity: produced in organic quality, this product contains vitamin C, which supports your immune system and protects your cells from oxidative stress.

Buy bitter substances - you get 100% quality

Would you like to support your stomach and digestion after a meal or simply give your immune system a boost? Then supplement your diet with bitter substances. We highly recommend the bitter drops from the Feelgood Shop or our high-quality organic grapefruit seed extract with vitamin C.

To guarantee the quality and safety of our bitter products, we have every batch thoroughly tested by an independent institute in Germany. Not every supplier does this. We do, because we want you to feel healthy and simply have a good time - every day, around the clock!

Sources:

^1Centerof Health: https://www.zentrum-der-gesundheit.de/ernaehrung/lebensmittel/inhaltsstoffe/bitterstoffe