Don’t underestimate the power and influence your digestive system has on your health. Your gut microbiome impacts your immune system while the digestive process itself determines how much of the nutrients you put on your plate are absorbed. But you might wonder whether certain foods affect your health and function?
In this article, we’ll look at how bitter foods affect digestive well-being and whether they have benefits for your health. It’s not a new idea. Traditional medicine, including Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, is built around the idea that bitter foods boost digestive wellness. Does science support this? If so, how might they help your digestion and the gut ecosystem that supports it?
Stimulation of Digestive Secretions
To extract the most nutrients out of each meal, you need certain substances the glands in your digestive tract produce. It starts in your mouth, where your salivary glands release saliva to jumpstart digestion. Saliva helps you break down carbohydrates and fat from the foods you eat. You also need stomach acid and digestive enzymes Stomach acid helps break down proteins and kill harmful bacteria that could cause food poisoning.
When you consume something bitter, like bitter melon or bitter greens, it causes a reflex reaction to the amount of saliva your salivary glands make. There’s also evidence that bitter foods stimulate the release of stomach acid from glands in your stomach. By doing this, they help with the initial stages of digestion.
Hormone Release and Bitter Foods
Bitter foods also support digestion through their effects on a substance your small intestines produce called cholecystokinin (CCK), When you eat a meal, your small intestines naturally produce CCK. High-protein meals augment CCK release the most. But when you add bitterness to the mix, your intestines produce even more CCK. In turn, CCK tells your gall bladder to release more bile. Plus, it slows down how quickly food moves through your intestinal tract. This gives your small intestines more time to absorb nutrients. So, bitter foods may help you extract more nutrition from the foods you eat.
Preventing Constipation
Another upside of adding bitter foods to your diet for digestive health is how they tame constipation. If you suffer from frequent constipation, bitter foods could help you get relief. How? The bitterness increases peristalsis, the rate at which food moves from your small intestines to your large intestines. This keeps things marching forward so you can avoid constipation. If regularity is a problem for you, get it checked out by a doctor. Then work on your diet by enjoying more fiber-rich bitter foods on your plate.
Support for Your Gut Microbiome
To say that your gut microbiome, the ecosystem of microorganisms that call your gut home, is important is an understatement. The tiny organisms that live here help your digestive tract absorb nutrients. They also support immune health and affect your mental health through the gut-brain connection. Some bitter foods have prebiotic activity, meaning they’re rich in fermentable fiber that feeds the gut bacteria that comprise your gut microbiome. Bitter foods that also have prebiotic activity include dandelion greens, bitter melon, chicory root, and bitter melon.
Reduction in Bloating and Indigestion
Another way bitter foods aid digestion is by helping you avoid the unpleasantries of indigestion and heartburn. Because bitter foods boost the release of digestive acids and enzymes that digest your food, they can help with functional indigestion (indigestion not caused by medical issues) and bloating. But be aware that bloating and indigestion can have other causes, so talk to your doctor if you have frequent indigestion.
Appetite Regulation
If you’re trying to lose weight, bitter foods may give you an edge. As mentioned, when you eat something bitter, your small intestines release CCK. Not only does this release slow digestion and nutrient absorption but it helps control your appetite. In response to CCK, you feel fuller and more satisfied and have fewer sugar cravings. Because of the appetite-suppressing benefits of bitter foods, scientists believe foods with bitter components could help in the fight against obesity.
Plus, certain bitter foods, like bitter melon, help with blood sugar control. Studies show bitter melon has some properties of insulin, the main hormone that affects blood glucose control. So, when you eat bitter melon, it improves how your cells take up glucose, so that more gets in your cells and less stays in your bloodstream. That’s better for your metabolic health!
Healthy Bitter Foods
When it comes to bitter foods, you have options, some of which you probably eat already. Let’s look at some of the healthiest:
Arugula
Along with being a bitter food, arugula is a cruciferous vegetable, meaning it has glucosinolates with potential anti-cancer benefits. Plus, arugula is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, K, and antioxidants.
Bitter Melon
Bitter melon is intriguing, beyond its bitterness, due to its ability to lower blood sugar. It’s also an excellent source of vitamin A, C, and K and rich in antioxidants. Although bitter melon has potential health benefits, talk to your doctor before consuming it in large quantities. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid it, as it has the potential to cause uterine contractions. Also, consuming excessive amounts of bitter melon can cause side effects, like vomiting or abdominal pain.
Dandelion Greens
Dandelion greens are exceptionally high in prebiotic fiber that helps build a more diverse gut microbiome. Like other leafy greens, it’s high in vitamins A, C, and K.
Jerusalem artichokes
Jerusalem artichokes are rich in fiber, including a special fiber called inulin that has prebiotic activity.
Chicory
Another prebiotic superstar is chicory, an herb that, like Jerusalem artichokes, is a reliable source of prebiotic inulin. If you’ve ever sipped pre-packaged herbal coffee, it was probably made from roasted chicory.
Conclusion
So don’t be afraid to add more bitter foods to your plate. Choose healthy options such as arugula and Jerusalem artichokes. Doing so will supply your gut with prebiotics for a more diverse gut microbiome. Plus, they may help you ward off indigestion and help you stay full longer. Be sure to talk to your doctor before making major dietary changes, especially if you have health issues or are taking medications.
References:
- Rezaie P, Bitarafan V, Horowitz M, Feinle-Bisset C. Effects of Bitter Substances on GI Function, Energy Intake and Glycaemia-Do Preclinical Findings Translate to Outcomes in Humans? Nutrients. 2021 Apr 16;13(4):1317. doi: 10.3390/nu13041317. PMID: 33923589; PMCID: PMC8072924.
- “Role of bitter contributors and bitter taste receptors: a comprehensive ….” 01 Jul. 2024, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213453024000703.
- Iovino P, Bucci C, Tremolaterra F, Santonicola A, Chiarioni G. Bloating and functional gastro-intestinal disorders: where are we and where are we going? World J Gastroenterol. 2014 Oct 21;20(39):14407-19. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i39.14407. PMID: 25339827; PMCID: PMC4202369.
- Rezaie P, Bitarafan V, Horowitz M, Feinle-Bisset C. Effects of Bitter Substances on GI Function, Energy Intake and Glycaemia-Do Preclinical Findings Translate to Outcomes in Humans? Nutrients. 2021 Apr 16;13(4):1317. doi: 10.3390/nu13041317. PMID: 33923589; PMCID: PMC8072924.
- Sheng W, Ji G, Zhang L. Immunomodulatory effects of inulin and its intestinal metabolites. Front Immunol. 2023;14:1224092. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2023.1224092.
- Hsu PK, Pan FFC, Hsieh CS. mcIRBP-19 of Bitter Melon Peptide Effectively Regulates Diabetes Mellitus (DM) Patients’ Blood Sugar Levels. Nutrients. 2020 Apr 28;12(5):1252. doi: 10.3390/nu12051252. PMID: 32354072; PMCID: PMC7281988.
- Swati Patwal. 2015. “Bitter Gourd (Karela) during Pregnancy: Is It Safe?” MomJunction. February 6, 2015. https://www.momjunction.com/articles/benefits-of-bitter-gourd-during-pregnancy_00326723/.
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