How you can benefit from bitter substances if you have HPU
The taste of bitter rarely brings a smile to anyone’s face. We usually avoid foods with a bitter aftertaste – yet bitter-tasting plant compounds are an important building block for our health, especially for us “modern” people.
But what exactly are bitter substances?
Bitter substances are found in many different plants and help protect them from pests (e.g., slugs). Some animals instinctively eat bitter herbs because they sense their healing properties. However, this is no longer the case for us humans, as our taste buds are now programmed to recognize sweet and salty tastes due to the addition of food additives.
“What tastes bitter in the mouth is good for the stomach.”
An old saying goes that there’s a “bitter herb” for many a health problem. However, the term “bitter substances” encompasses a whole range of different compounds. Accordingly, the effects of each individual plant vary. Generally speaking, though, consuming bitter foods has a positive influence on overall digestion.
The disruptive factor “bitter”:
The food industry quickly realized that sweet and salty foods were more appealing to consumers than bitter ones. Consequently, most bitter compounds were bred out of many vegetables to make them more palatable. However, this significant loss of bitter compounds is more detrimental to our health than we realize.
Even thousands of years ago, bitter herbs were considered a universal remedy for staying healthy and getting well . No wonder, when you consider all the things they can do:
- Improved digestion:
Even the act of chewing bitter substances in the mouth sets our digestion in motion. As soon as our tongue perceives the bitter taste, our digestive juices begin their work. Through neural and hormonal processes, the production of gastric juices, bile, and pancreatic secretions is stimulated. Furthermore, our liver metabolism is boosted, and the digestion of macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) is positively influenced.
- Strengthening the immune system:
Our gut is the main hub of our body’s immune system. Bitter substances cause the intestinal lining to contract and expand (improved peristalsis), which ensures that pathogens, toxins, and food residues are eliminated more quickly.
Therefore, if our digestion is improved by the bitter substances, our immune system also benefits.
- Goodbye cravings!
When we eat bitter foods, our taste receptors in the mouth sound the alarm, an evolutionary adaptation. This is because most poisonous plants taste bitter, which causes the body to release the hormone cholecystokinin, thus reducing our appetite. Bitter substances therefore act as a natural “eating brake” to protect against plant poisoning. The idea that we should reach for chicory, arugula, or grapefruit when craving fast food or sugary foods might sound paradoxical at first, but the effect speaks for itself. Have you ever tried it?
- Bitter substances and the liver:
Our liver is normally able to easily compensate for minor damage. However, our modern lifestyle places considerable demands on the liver every day. Consuming bitter-tasting herbs and foods not only improves liver function but also benefits the gallbladder, which in turn benefits from the valuable bitter substances, positively impacting the elimination of toxins and metabolic waste.
- Balance for the nervous system:
The circulation-boosting and heart-strengthening effects of bitter substances are particularly beneficial for states of weakness. Bitter substances have the ability to stimulate the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, thus providing our organs with energy. Furthermore, bitter substances optimize digestion and elimination, thereby promoting improved regeneration, which is also good for our mental well-being.
Bitter substances in HPU:
People with untreated HPU (hemopyrroluria) often suffer from low stomach acid . This is due to a vitamin B6 deficiency, which is caused by the altered metabolic processes in the body of someone with HPU. If too little of the hormone gastrin is produced due to HPU and a vitamin B6 deficiency, then insufficient hydrochloric acid can be produced.
Consuming bitter foods or taking bitter herbs with every meal increases the production of hydrochloric acid formed in the stomach, allowing us to digest our food (especially protein) better.
Bitter substances can also help with the cravings typical of HPU by regulating blood sugar and thus reducing the desire for carbohydrates or sugary foods.
The less-than-optimal metabolism of people with HPU can be boosted (in addition to taking standard HPU medications) with the help of bitter substances. While bitter substances, unlike sweets, don’t bring a smile to your face, they promote digestion by increasing the production of bile and insulin, which in turn supports the liver in detoxification and thus increases overall metabolic rate.
To do something good for our health, we should eat “bitter” foods several times a week . These foods are particularly rich in bitterness:
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- grapefruit
- Brussels sprouts
- Cranberry
- Endive salad
- Amaranth
- dandelion
- fennel
- Radicchio
- Olives
- arugula
Bitter substances as a dietary supplement
For those who don’t always have the opportunity to incorporate bitter-tasting foods into their daily routine, bitter substances in the form of dietary supplements can be a helpful alternative. Taken before a meal, they regulate appetite and prepare the digestive tract for the upcoming digestive process. Bitter substances (in drop form) are also a good aid during a craving attack, helping to curb the desire for sweets. After eating, bitter substances can also help relieve bloating or stomach aches.
HPUandYou recommendation:
Bitter Swedish Drops Concentrate , 30 ml, alcohol-free
Natural concentrate of bitter herbs
Heidelbergers 7 Herb Star , Organic, 100g in organic quality from Giah
Nice: With an order over €25, you get the book “Naturally Immune” for free.