Bitter herbs are plants with a distinctly sharp, bitter taste that have been used for centuries to support digestion, cleanse the body, and anchor many healing and seasonal rituals in folk traditions. They work primarily by stimulating the body’s digestive reflexes and vital organs, while carrying a rich heritage of myth, magic, and everyday use in kitchens and health clinics alike.
How Bitter Herbs Support Digestion and Affect the Body
Bitter herbs contain compounds, often called “bitter principles” that strongly activate bitter taste receptors on the tongue and throughout the digestive tract. When these receptors are stimulated, several coordinated responses occur:
