Its easy to drool over desserts and crave to eat something savoury but the bitter foods usually get left out. But this might just the place where you learn the importance of including the bitter but better. If you did not know bitter is the most complex taste but also the most important. These types of foods have been shown to aid in digestion, help nutrient absorption, simulate immune function and help give your sweet truth a break.
Bitter foods trigger the production of stomach acid, which facilitates a variety of digestive processes. Packed with fiber, they stimulate growth of healthy gut bacteria and can also prevent leaky gut and inflammation in the body. But how do you incorporate bitter foods in your diet? While there are many bitter supplements in the market but whole foods are always the way to go. An easier way to add bitters to your diet is to gradually introduce bitter notes into meals. And to know more about what all bitters you can start off with, we have a list of 7 ingredients.
1. Bitter Gourd
A rich source of vitamin C, it helps to fight diseases and heal wounds. They also help to improve vision and help with under eye dark circles. It is extremely bitter in taste when raw. It also helps people with diabetes by lowering their blood sugar levels. Also called as bitter melon, it prevents cell damage caused by free radical and reduces the risk of heart disease.
2. Cocoa
Your sweet tooth might not sit well with the taste of a bitter dark chocolate but, it is very healthy because it has high amount of cocoa in it. The bitter taste is due to presence of polyphenol, thus it can widen blood vessels and reduce inflammation.
3. Citrus Fruit Peel
We usually enjoy citrus fruits and leave out their peels in the trash but they are equally beneficial for our body. The peels of citrus fruits are bitter a contain a higher concentration of flavonoids than any other part of the fruit. Adding the zest to your food will not only increase the flavour but also enhances health.
4. Green Tea
A very popular beverage, green tea is consumed around the world. Also used as way to detox for the skin and body. It offers a variety of health benefits, as a bitter food it helps in weight loss, better digestion, immunity, and improved heart health. In fact, one cup of green tea daily reduces the risk of heart attack by nearly 20%. So, replacing your regular tea or coffee intake with green tea can be really beneficial.
5. Red wine
Cold weather, light music, a warm blanket, in front of the fire place, with a glass of red wine…. (Makes the French pinched fingers gesture) but does this mean red wine is healthy? Well, yes, it is! Red wine in moderation is healthy for the heart. It is rich in antioxidants, lowers bad cholesterol in your system, regulates blood sugar levels in diabetic persons, and even reduces the risk of cancer. The pros of drinking red wine in moderation doesn’t end here, it also gives you some added benefits that include treating common cold and keeping a sharp memory. It can also be used as an ingredient in your food or to prepare a red wine sauce to go with your dinner.
6. Cranberries
Cranberries are rich in antioxidants and also supports heart health. Eating cranberries on a daily can help lowering blood pressure and improves cholesterol balance. If someone gets UTIs (urinary tract infections) often, adding cranberries to your diet can be really beneficial. Got a sweet tooth, cranberries are your best friends since they prevent cavities by controlling harmful acids in your mouth, also minimizing chances of tooth decay and oral cancer.
7. The Cruciferous Family
Rise in popularity of cruciferous vegetable increased recently when its ability to fight cancer were apparent. The family includes vegetables like, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, radish, etc. The nutrient content in these vegetables lower the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, asthma and Alzheimer’s disease. It can also aid in weight loss, lower your blood pressure, and reduce obesity and diabetes risk factors.
Bitter tasting foods have a gazillion health benefits, including protection against cancer, heart disease and diabetes, as well as reduced inflammation and oxidative stress. And since there are plenty of options for bitter foods, it is easy to include at least some in your diet on a day to day basis with modifications.