What are Bitter Herbs and why would anyone intentionally eat them?
The answers may surprise you!

Bitter Herbs or Bitters, as they are sometimes called, are an excellent addition to your diet for many reasons. The main reason is they aid in digestion by stimulating your liver function, creating a more efficient climate in your intestines.

Your food needs to be digested in a timely manner for good health. If you have sluggush digestion, problems such as bloating, gas, or acid reflux can occur. Bitter Herbs stimulate the glands that help digest your food thereby relieving the pressures of poor digestion that cause discomfort.

Contrary to the name, not all Bitter Herbs taste bitter. Among the more mild Bitters are mint and chamomile. Dandelion is also a bitter. Our ancestors knew after winter when fresh food was scarce, it was important to eat certain foods. Dandelion greens were one of the earliest plants to poke up in meadows, pastures and even gardens. Pots of greens were cooked and eaten as a tonic to help dispel the effects of sluggish winter digestion. These people didn't know the science behind eating dandelion greens, but we do now.

Some of our favorite greens from a Mesclun Mix contain Bitter Herbs. Endive, sorrel, chicory and cilantro are some that are commonly found in salad mixes.

If you live in a mild climate, salad mixes are very rewarding to grow in the winter. Here in Texas, we don't even plant lettuce and other greens until October. If you live further north, you can still plant and grow lettuce and other greens before the weather turns very cold. These are short season crops and need only from about 35 days for baby greens to 45 or 50 days for larger leaves. The plants are also very hardy and many can tolerate a light frost. Some become sweeter after a light frost. A simple south facing cold frame made with hay bales and some old windows will allow even gardeners in cold climates to have fresh lettuce and the bitter greens well into the winter.

Besides the greens we use in salads, which are fairly mild as Bitters go, there are much more bitter herbs found in herb gardens. Horehound, Mugwort, Wormwood and Yarrow are a few commonly grown herbs that are also Bitter Herbs.

Horehound, Marrubium vulgare, use dates back to Ancient Egypt and is thought to be one of the original bitter herbs of the Bible. Horehound's bitterness stimulates the appetite and also promotes bile, making large doses laxative. The whole herb and its derivatives are used in thousands of lung medications around the world, especially for treating bronchitis and coughs. The essential oils dilate the arteries and help to ease lung congestion. The herb apparently causes the secretion of a more fluid mucus, which is more readily cleared by coughing.

Mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris is digestive and tonic herb, mugwort with a wide variety of traditional uses. Milder in action than most other Artemisia species, it can be taken over the long term at a low dose to improve appetite, digestive function, promote liver detoxification and absorption of nutrients. Cleansing to the liver, it promotes digestion. It makes a good foot bath for tired feet and legs. The Mongols massaged it into their calves to prevent cramping and muscle fatigue from long hours on horseback.

Wormwood, Artemisia absinthium is a perennial plant used as an atiseptic, tonic and diuretic. Wormwood leaves' primary use is to stimulate the gallbladder, help prevent,and release stones, and to adjust resulting digestive problems. Clinical studies with volunteers proved that wormwood does effectively increase bile. Wormwood is an extremely useful medicine for those with weak and underactive digestions. It increases stomach acid and bile production and therefore improves digestion and the absorption of nutrients, making it helpful for many conditions including anemia. It also eases gas and bloating, and if the tincture is taken regularly, it slowly strengthens the digestion and helps the body return to full vitality after a prolonged illness.

Yarrow, Achillea millefolium Yarrow contains a chemical also present in chamomile that helps relax the smooth muscle tissue of the digestive tract, making it an antispasmodic. Two animal studies show yarrow protects the liver from toxic chemical damage. And a scientifically conducted trial in India showed yarrow helps treat hepatitis, a disease which affects the liver.

For those of you who would like to grow your own Bitter Herbs in a salad mix this fall and winter, please see the seed selection at The Herb Cottage Website. There are spicy mixes, mild mixes and some just for baby greens.

Much of the information in this article regarding the individual herbs came from:
HERBALPEDIA� is brought to you by The Herb Growing & Marketing Network, PO Box 245, Silver Spring, PA 17575-0245; 717- 393-3295; FAX: 717-393-9261; email: herbworld@aol.com URL: http://www.herbalpedia.com Editor: Maureen Rogers. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. Material herein is derived from journals, textbooks, etc. THGMN cannot be held responsible for the validity of the information contained in any reference noted herein, for the misuse of information or any adverse effects by use of any stated material presented.

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