6 Benefits of Bitter Compounds

Bitter is a taste we encounter far less often today. Even many vegetables are bred to taste sweeter. Yet bitter compounds have long been valued for their role in supporting digestion.

As soon as you taste something bitter, bitter taste receptors are activated.

That is why bitters can be a useful addition if you want to support digestion, cut down on snacking or manage your weight more mindfully. [1–5]

Discover 6 benefits of bitters.

1. Supports digestion

When you taste something bitter, bitter taste receptors are activated. These receptors are found not only on the tongue, but throughout the digestive tract. [1,2]

Bitter compounds can influence several digestive processes, including the production of digestive juices and gastrointestinal motility. [2,5]

This is one of the reasons bitter herbs have traditionally been used around mealtimes to support digestion.

2. Helps when you feel bloated

Ate too quickly, had a little too much, or feeling heavy after a meal?

Because bitter herbs support digestion, they can be a useful addition when your digestive system needs a little extra support.

This is also why bitters have traditionally been used around larger or richer meals.

3. May help curb sweet cravings

Something sweet after lunch. Chocolate in the afternoon. And after dinner, one more trip to the cupboard.

Sweet flavours are everywhere. Bitter offers a natural contrast.

The strong bitter taste can help create a clear end to a meal. A few drops of bitters after eating can be a simple alternative to automatically reaching for a biscuit, chocolate or dessert.

4. Supports mindful weight management

Bitters can be a useful part of a healthy lifestyle if you want to snack less and be more mindful of your weight.

Research also suggests that bitter receptors in the gastrointestinal tract are involved in signalling related to appetite, satiety and energy intake. [3–5]

Combined with their role in digestion, this makes bitters a natural fit within a balanced lifestyle.

5. Supports the liver & fat metabolism

The liver plays a central role in processing nutrients and supporting the body’s natural elimination processes.

Various bitter herbs have traditionally been used to support liver function and fat metabolism.

They can therefore be a useful addition to a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

6. A great choice after a heavy meal

Had a large or heavier meal? Your digestive system has more work to do.

Bitter herbs have been used around meals for centuries. Bitter receptors in the gastrointestinal tract are involved in several processes related to digestion and the way food is processed. [1,2,5]

So taking bitters before or after a meal is far from a new idea.

Make bitters part of your daily routine

Adding bitters to your day doesn’t have to be complicated.

Alka® Bitter contains 8 organic bitter herbs and is easy to use around your daily meals. Take it before or after eating, or at the time of day when you would normally start craving something sweet.

For your digestion. For your liver. For a more mindful approach to your weight.¹²³

A simple way to make bitters part of your everyday healthy routine.

Alka® Bitter is available in Original and 0% Alcohol.

Discover Alka® Bitter →

¹ Dandelion root, ² Cinnamon bark, ³ Chicory root

Sources

[1] Rozengurt E. Taste Receptors in the Gastrointestinal Tract. I. Bitter taste receptors and α-gustducin in the mammalian gut. American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology. 2006;291(2)–G177.

[2] Avau B, Depoortere I. The bitter truth about bitter taste receptors: beyond sensing bitter in the oral cavity. Acta Physiologica. 2016;216(4):407–420.

[3] Deloose E, Janssen P, Corsetti M, et al. Intragastric infusion of denatonium benzoate attenuates interdigestive gastric motility and hunger scores in healthy female volunteers. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2017;105(3):580–588.

[4] Xie C, Wang X, Young RL, Horowitz M, Rayner CK, Wu T. Role of Intestinal Bitter Sensing in Enteroendocrine Hormone Secretion and Metabolic Control. Frontiers in Endocrinology. 2018;9:576.

[5] 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;13(4):1317.

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