Bitter Herbs

Artichoke (Cynara scolymus)

Globe artichoke, humble member of the thistle family, is pretty amazing. Aside from having an unusual, slightly bitter (and for most of us yummy) flavor it's just plain fun and sexy to eat. 

The artichoke has been with us for at least 3,000 years. But its culinary attributes are just the beginning.  It is used by herbalists to increase bile production in the liver, increase the flow of bile from the gallbladder, and increases the contractive power of the bile duct.

These scientifically proven bile actions are beneficial enough to be a help in many digestive, gallbladder, and liver disorders.  Aside from that, artichoke has gotten a lot of press recently for its exceptionally high levels of antioxidants (higher than blueberries, chocolate or any other veggie) and for its cholesterol-lowering effects. It also helps detox the liver.  In Europe in concentrated form it is a prescription medicine.  Humble thistle indeed.

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Amargo Bark (Quassia amara)  

Quinine bark, used for malaria and to reduce fever, is one of the rainforest's most famous bitter herbs.   Centuries before it became known around the world, it was used as a stomach bitter to treat indigestion.  It is still used in drinks for the same purpose.  Amargo bark is used in the Amazon Rainforest in a very similar way to quinine bark – for malaria, fevers, and as a digestive. 

However, studies have revealed it to be 50 times more bitter than quinine. That puts it somewhere off the charts.  Amargo, which means bitter in Spanish, contains many of the same types of antimalarial chemicals as quinine bark, but its exceptional bitterness is from a chemical called quassin.  In the U.S. and Europe, amargo is used as a bitter tonic for stomach, gallbladder, and other digestive problems because it increases the flow of bile, digestive juices, and saliva.

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Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia) 

A climbing vine, bitter melon is used in the Amazon Rainforest as both a food and a medicine.  It looks like a cucumber that got some radioactive fallout on it. Maybe more like a zucchini with bumps.  While not considered beautiful by most, it is an incredible powerhouse. Most notably the fruit has several compounds that have been shown to lower blood sugar. It is being studied as a support in treating diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol and HIV. For our purposes, the whole plant is a wonderful bitter. The leaves and stem are used to treat indigestion and slow digestion, while the fruit also helps with  intestinal gas and bloating.

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Boldo  (Peumus boldus) 

Boldo is an evergreen that is indigenous to the high mountains of the Andes.  It is currently cultivated in Brazil as well to help meet the demand for its medicinal leaves in European and Canadian markets where it is widely used. It has a long history as a highly regarded healing herb and digestive.  This bitter herb is prescribed in Europe for mild gastrointestinal spasms and indigestion, loss of appetite, liver and gallbladder complaints, and to stimulate bile production in both the gall bladder and liver.
 While at least 17 alkaloids have already been documented most of its benefits are attributed to a particular alkaloid called boldine. In various studies boldine has been shown to protect the liver and stimulate bile, improve digestion, and increase secretion of gastric juices. 
Many digestive problems are due to a lack of bile and digestive juices, which in turn causes our digestive system to run sluggish. The result is fermentation where it shouldn't, bloating, gas, and poor absorption of nutrients.  Boldo is one of the best natural remedies for these types of digestive problems because it stimulates the production and secretion of bile and other digestive juices in the stomach, gallbladder, and liver, which is what maximizes and speeds up digestive processes.

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