The Sweetness of Bitters

A bitter is simply an infusion, decoction or tincture of bitter tasting roots, herbs, barks or leaves. Bitters are used as digestive aids, in cocktails, drinks and cooking depending on what they are formulated for. Herbal bitters are used as digestive aids and should be part of our daily diets especially for the following:

Digestion

Appetite Control.
Cleansing the Body.
Relieving Gas, Bloating and Heartburn.
Calming the Stomach,
Regulating Bowel Movement.
Easing Constipation.
Maintaining Healthy Blood Sugar levels
Supporting Healthy Liver Function.
Detoxifying the Colon

Starting your meal with a bitter taste increases salivation, starts off ahealthy pattern of digestive events which lead to the proper breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and ease of the elimination of waste product.

There are various recipes for bitters, depending on the available ingredients, the specific purpose and use, Generally, a bitter mixture will have two main components;
A Bittering Agent
Aromatics and Flavours

Making your own herbal bitter for digestive aid is easy as the ingredients can be from any part of trees and herbs like;

Roots;
Barks;
Spices; ginger, cloves, fennel, turmeric, pepper, cinnamon
Herbs; lemongrass, mint, basil, scent, curry, S. bicolour
Leaves; mango, bitter leaves,
Flowers; Hibiscus
Fresh or Dried Peels; orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit
Dried Fruits
Nuts and Seeds

A lot of bitter tasting decoctions and tinctures made in Nigeria used to flush the system are digestive bitters. The ingredients can be obtained from your kitchen, garden, local markets, herb shops or sellers, and even peels from discarded citrus fruits.

Let's know if you've got a question, comment or something to add. You can also contact me on yvonnebosede06@gmail.com.