No time to read and want to listen instead? Just click the play button.
Do you feel over-full and bloated after you eat? Like food is just stuck in your stomach like a bowling ball?
Are you occasionally sidelined by indigestion… constipation… bloating… and gas?
Do you wish you had more energy? And just want to feel better every day?
If so, then it’s time to take a closer look at—digestive bitters—a special group of plants designed by nature to keep your digestive system flowing smoothly and efficiently.
Because when your digestive system operates at peak function, digestion won’t feel uncomfortable, and you’ll fully absorb more nutrients from every bite.
Digestive Bitters: Nature’s First Digestive Aid
Our bodies are designed to work with nature… but in the modern world it’s tough to eat the way nature intended. Our ancestors survived by foraging and gathering whatever plants they came across—and that included some with exceptionally bitter ones. Those bitter compounds protected the plants from insects and parasites, making them prime and abundant food for the people who came across them.
Bitterness also serves a purpose for human digestion. That sharp taste alerts your body and signals it to start the digestive process. And while your tongue holds special bitter taste buds—known as T2R receptors—that’s not the only place they’re found in your body. Your entire digestive system is lined with T2R receptors, and each area reacts when it gets activated by bitter compounds.[1] Those bitters trigger hormones and proteins necessary for complete digestion. Some help breakdown foods, others help you feel full, and still others affect digestive muscles and motility so food doesn’t dwell too long in the system.[2]
When any of these normal digestive processes doesn’t quite work, the results are noticeably uncomfortable. As ancient peoples didn’t have access to things like antacids, these natural digestive aids played a key role in promoting optimal digestion. That’s why traditional medicinal use of bitters goes all the way back to ancient times.[3] Because indigestion, nausea, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal discomfort, and reflux are all very common digestive consequences… and no one wants to experience them.
The Key Role Digestive Bitters Play in Digestion
Digestive bitters contain a wide and complex combination of bitter compounds that stimulate every part of the digestive system. And once those T2R receptors get the message, they set off a chain of digestive processes necessary for the complete breakdown and absorption of whatever you’ve eaten.
1. Release of Digestive Compounds
Bitters start by triggering the release of digestive compounds including enzymes, bile, and stomach acid. Those are all essential for fully breaking down food into its absorbable components.
2. Bitters Aid Digestion & Protect the Stomach Lining
In the stomach, bitters encourage production of hydrochloric acid and enzymes like pepsin that work to fully digest food. At the same time, those bitters help shield your stomach by boosting mucus production which helps protect the stomach lining against all of those acidic compounds.
3. Receptors in Small Intestines Send Signals to the Pancreas & Liver
From there, T2R receptors in the small intestine pick up on the presence of bitters. Those signals tell the pancreas to increase production of digestive enzymes and message the liver to send out bile. You need both of those to fully break down foods and completely absorb nutrients.
4. Bitters Support Probiotic Bacteria, Gut Barrier Strength, and Healthy Bowel Movements
Once they reach the large intestines, bitters support beneficial probiotic bacteria for a healthy, well-balanced gut microbiome. Bitters help increase nutrient sensing in the gut, which leads to improved nutrient absorption there. They also help protect the mucosal gut barrier from leaky gut and help keep bowel movements regular, smooth, and comfortable.
All along the digestive tract, bitters keep things moving along efficiently so you can get more out of the food you eat. More complete nutrient absorption helps improve:
- Energy production
- Cellular repair
- Bone building and maintenance
- Immune system performance
- Blood sugar management
- Weight management
- Overall wellness
Plus, by optimizing digestive functions, bitters can help relieve common digestive issues like indigestion, bloating, gas, and feeling over-full after eating. That’s why bitters have been prized since ancient times… and why we still need them today.
The Digestive Dozen: Bitters Power Players That Streamline Digestion
For generations, natural health practitioners around the world have relied on bitters for their healing powers. And after centuries of trial and error and scientific research, people have been able to root out the most effective bitters to promote complete and comfortable digestion. These twelve time-tested bitters work both individually and together to deliver digestive ease.
1. Bitter Melon Fruit Extract
Bitter melon is best known for its role in stabilizing blood sugar levels, partly by stimulating insulin release and sensitivity.[4] Research shows that bitter melon promotes antimicrobial activity and supports the liver, both of which are critical for a healthy digestive system.[5] It’s also been used widely in traditional medicine for weight management and to support proper inflammatory responses.
2. Wild Yam Root Extract
Since the 18th century, people have relied on wild yam root for digestive comfort. Traditionally, it’s been used to relax muscles in the digestive tract. Herbalists also use this botanical bitter to improve liver and gallbladder function, which aids in bile production and use in breaking down fats. Wild yam contains a compound called diosgenin that helps minimize cholesterol absorption during digestion[6], promote healthy inflammatory responses in the digestive tract[7], and support a balanced gut microbiome full of diverse probiotic bacteria.[8]
3. Barberry Root
Barberry contains bitter compounds including berberine and berbamine that act on the digestive system.[9] This bitter plant boosts bile secretion to improve fat metabolism, calms the smooth muscles in the intestines to increase digestive comfort, improves balance and diversity in the gut microbiome, and promotes healthy bowel movements.[10,11] Research shows that barberry also helps regulate healthy blood sugar and cholesterol balance.[12]
4. Coptis Root Extract
Native to China, coptis root has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to align the stomach and spleen systems to clear heat and dampness. These bitter yellow roots, also called goldthread, support a healthy digestive tract and gut microbiome. Coptis root also helps protect the intestinal mucosal barrier against leaky gut.[13] Traditionally, coptis root is used to promote digestive comfort and regular bowel movements.
5. Artichoke Leaf Extract
Artichoke leaf is known for moving digestion along so it doesn’t stall or move too slowly, which can cause digestive issues.[14] It also offers significant support to the liver which produces bile, filters the blood to remove any harmful post-digestion substances, and processes nutrients for absorption. Research shows that artichoke leaf extract can boost bile secretion by up to 151%.[15]
6. Hops Flower Extract
Hops flower, used commonly to brew beer, contains a wealth of bitter compounds including a group of alpha acids. These bitter chemicals stimulate several crucial hormones and enzymes associated with digestion including cholecystokinin (CCK), a hormone that signals bile release to break down fats, GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1), a hormone that helps regulate appetite and digestion, and peptide YY, a hormone that encourages gastrointestinal motility.[16]
7. Gentian Root Extract
Gentian, also known as bitterwort, is a staple bitter in Europe where it’s often used in aperitifs (before-meal bitter drinks). This bitter contains compounds that increase blood flow during digestion and spark production of digestive enzymes, gastric juices, and bile. It helps improve intestinal motility to keep food moving through the system. Research shows that it has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, along with promoting healthy inflammatory responses.[17]
8. Sweet Wormwood Herb
Also known as Artemesia absinthium, wormwood helps improve blood flow throughout the digestive tract. It’s also known to stimulate enzyme and bile secretions, which helps your body break down food more easily and increase nutrient absorption. It’s known for promoting balance in the gut microbiome and helping maintain gut barrier integrity.[18] Wormwood has been used traditionally to help the immune system flush out parasites (which often enter the body through food and beverages).
9. Dandelion Root
Among natural practitioners, dandelion root is considered one of the greatest medicinal plants in nature. Bitter dandelion roots contain dozens of beneficial bioactive compounds—including lactones, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, luteolin, and glucosides—that stimulate many points of digestion. It helps avoid stasis in the digestive tract by keeping things moving, helps optimize bile production and flow, and acts as a prebiotic that nourishes beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome. This prized bitter has mild diuretic, detoxifying, and liver-stimulating properties. Dandelion also acts as a potent antioxidant and supports healthy inflammatory responses in the digestive tract.[19,20]
10. Dong Quai Root
For more than a thousand years, dong quai (also known as angelica sinensis) has been a staple of Traditional Chinese Medicine and other Asian healing traditions. Dong quai contains many powerful bioactive compounds that contribute to its bitter abilities, including ferulic acid and z-ligustilide.[21] This ancient herb helps stimulate the digestive system and increase circulation of essential nutrients. It’s known for protecting the liver against toxins, promoting healthy inflammatory responses, providing antioxidant support, and protecting the mucosal gut barrier.[22] These properties benefit the entire gastrointestinal system, helping ensure smooth digestion and minimize indigestion.
11. Ginger Root and Rhizome Extract
Ginger is well-known for its digestive benefits (ask anyone struggling with morning sickness!), backed by both traditional use and tons of science.[23] It’s packed with more than 400 natural plant compounds such as gingerol and zingerone that have antimicrobial, antioxidant, and liver-protective properties.[24,25] This warming bitter spice supports healthy inflammatory responses throughout the digestive tract and promotes efficient motility, both of which keep things moving and promote digestive comfort.[26] Ginger root also encourages production of pancreatic lipase, an enzyme needed for digestion in the small intestines.
12. Peppermint Leaf
Peppermint has a long history for soothing and aiding the digestive system and promoting digestive comfort. It contains menthol, the compound providing its cool properties, which is known for easing digestion. Extensive research shows that peppermint has antimicrobial properties, which can help keep the gut microbiome in healthy balance.[27] It also calms muscles along the digestive tract with its antispasmodic properties[28], which helps gas pass through more easily and makes digestion more comfortable. Peppermint stimulates the flow of bile, helping break down fats more easily and acting as a mild natural laxative to help with smooth, comfortable bowel movements.[29]
Each member of the digestive Dozen promotes healthy, smooth, efficient digestion. But when they work together, they offer complete digestive support.
Bitters Work Better Together for Complete and Comfortable Digestion
All bitters stimulate T2R receptors throughout the digestive system, but each one has a unique impact on digestion. That’s why digestive bitters work better together in complementary ways.
Some bitters like gentian root stimulate stomach acids and enzymes, while others like wormwood and coptis root begin their work in the small intestines or the gut. Some bitters—like artichoke leaf, dong quai, and dandelion root—work through the liver and gall bladder channels, enhancing bile production and use. While some bitters like hops flowers help regulate appetite, others like bitter melon help promote healthy blood sugar management.
It takes a comprehensive blend of digestive bitters to manage every step of the digestive journey. And by adding a blend of digestive dozen bitters to meals, you’ll be supporting efficient, effective, comfortable digestion.
Why Bitter Foods Alone Won’t Do the Trick
Unless you’re prepared to eat heaping spoons of these highly bitter botanicals at every meal, it’s hard to consume enough bitters to make a digestive difference. That’s if you can even find true bitters in the grocery store at all.
People on the whole don’t tend to prefer bitter tastes. With genetic engineering and selective breeding, we’ve developed milder versions of these palate-challenging foods. Bitter compounds have been largely bred out in the food supply. Crossbreeding has led to lower bitterness levels in virtually all farmed plants. And some even go a step further, using gene editors like CRISPR to simply snip out bitter compounds from plants like mustard greens and broccoli. So even plants that were originally full of bitterness have lost most of their bite.
On top of that, cooking and seasoning bitter plants neutralizes their bitterness. The plant chemicals and compounds that produce a bitter taste break down with heat. It doesn’t disappear completely, but it does diminish past the point of providing real digestive benefits.
That’s why many people try liquid tinctures of digestive bitters. But many find they can’t tolerate the caustic taste.
Bitter Benefits Without the Bitter Taste
There’s a reason most of us don’t start every meal with bitters: They’re bitter, and that’s a tough taste to tolerate. And in the concentrated tincture form, the bitterness is heightened to even higher levels. But there is a way to get the benefits of bitters without having to endure the unpleasant flavor: in capsules.
Taking bitters in tasteless capsule form sidesteps the downside of liquid tinctures (the extreme bitter taste) while still providing the digestive benefits. The capsules are designed to release their contents at specific points in the digestive system, activating bitter receptors throughout the digestive tract and spurring them into action.
Plus, capsules are convenient and easy to carry with you wherever you’ll be eating.
Bottom line: Digestive bitters capsules offer a wealth of digestive benefits—just like liquid tinctures—but without the nasty taste.
Enjoy Smooth, Comfortable Digestion with Just Thrive Digestive Bitters
Imagine feeling only comfort and satisfaction after eating any meal… getting ahead of potential glitches in the digestive journey… and reaping every nutritional benefit from the foods you eat.
Just Thrive Digestive Bitters is a holistic formula that delivers a comprehensive blend of twelve time-tested bitters (the digestive dozen) to address multiple facets of digestion. Even better, it comes in a convenient, tasteless capsule that delivers digestive benefits without the bitter taste.
Just Thrive Digestive Bitters is designed to:
- stimulate digestive activity
- encourage release of bile and digestive enzymes
- promote optimal nutrient absorption
- support healthy liver and gallbladder function (in the digestive process)
- nourish probiotic bacteria in the gut microbiome
- and support overall digestive health
Turn digestive distress into digestive excellence with Just Thrive Digestive Bitters.
>> Sign up to be the first to know when our new digestive bitters product launches.
Sources
- Descamps-Solà M, et al. Bitter taste receptors along the gastrointestinal tract: comparison between humans and rodents. Front Nutr. 2023 Aug 30;10:1215889.
- McMullen MK, Whitehouse JM, Towell A. Bitters: Time for a New Paradigm. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:670504.
- McMullen MK, Whitehouse JM, Whitton PA, Towell A. Bitter tastants alter gastric-phase postprandial haemodynamics. J Ethnopharmacol. 2014 Jul 3;154(3):719-27.
- Dwijayanti DR, Shimada T, Ishii T, Okuyama T, Ikeya Y, Mukai E, Nishizawa M. Bitter melon fruit extract has a hypoglycemic effect and reduces hepatic lipid accumulation in ob/ob mice. Phytother Res. 2020 Jun;34(6):1338-1346.
- Kwatra, D., Dandawate, P., Padhye, S. et al. Bitter Melon as a Therapy for Diabetes, Inflammation, and Cancer: a Panacea?. Curr Pharmacol Rep 2, 34–44 (2016).
- Sun F, Yang X, Ma C, Zhang S, Yu L, Lu H, Yin G, Liang P, Feng Y, Zhang F. The Effects of Diosgenin on Hypolipidemia and Its Underlying Mechanism: A Review. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2021 Sep 15;14:4015-4030. doi: 10.2147/DMSO.S326054. PMID: 34552341; PMCID: PMC8450287.
- Huang CH, Pan CL, Tsai GJ, Chang CJ, Tsai WC, Lu SY. Anti-Allergic Diarrhea Effect of Diosgenin Occurs via Improving Gut Dysbiosis in a Murine Model of Food Allergy. Molecules. 2021 Apr 23;26(9):2471. doi: 10.3390/molecules26092471. PMID: 33922675; PMCID: PMC8122900.
- Li X, Li J, Ji J, Li S, Yao X, Fan H, Yao R. Gut microbiota modification by diosgenin mediates antiepileptic effects in a mouse model of epilepsy. J Neurochem. 2024 Dec;168(12):3982-4000. doi: 10.1111/jnc.16033. Epub 2023 Dec 19. PMID: 38115597.
- Imenshahidi M, Hosseinzadeh H. Berberine and barberry (Berberis vulgaris): A clinical review. Phytother Res. 2019 Mar;33(3):504-523.
- Wolf PG, et al. Berberine alters gut microbial function through modulation of bile acids. BMC Microbiol. 2021 Jan 11;21(1):24.
- Chen C, Lu M, Pan Q, Fichna J, Zheng L, Wang K, Yu Z, Li Y, Li K, Song A, Liu Z, Song Z, Kreis M. Berberine Improves Intestinal Motility and Visceral Pain in the Mouse Models Mimicking Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS-D) Symptoms in an Opioid-Receptor Dependent Manner. PLoS One. 2015 Dec 23;10(12):e0145556.
- Firouzi S, et al. Barberry in the treatment of obesity and metabolic syndrome: possible mechanisms of action. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2018 Nov 8;11:699-705.
- Yang Y, Vong CT, Zeng S, Gao C, Chen Z, Fu C, Wang S, Zou L, Wang A, Wang Y. Tracking evidences of Coptis chinensis for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease from pharmacological, pharmacokinetic to clinical studies. J Ethnopharmacol. 2021 Mar 25;268:113573.
- Ben Salem M, Affes H, Ksouda K, Dhouibi R, Sahnoun Z, Hammami S, Zeghal KM. Pharmacological Studies of Artichoke Leaf Extract and Their Health Benefits. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2015 Dec;70(4):441-53. doi: 10.1007/s11130-015-0503-8. PMID: 26310198.
- Kirchhoff R, Beckers C, Kirchhoff GM, Trinczek-Gärtner H, Petrowicz O, Reimann HJ. Increase in choleresis by means of artichoke extract. Phytomedicine. 1994 Sep;1(2):107-15. doi: 10.1016/S0944-7113(11)80027-9. PMID: 23195882.
- Walker EG, Lo KR, Pahl MC, Shin HS, Lang C, Wohlers MW, Poppitt SD, Sutton KH, Ingram JR. An extract of hops (Humulus lupulus L.) modulates gut peptide hormone secretion and reduces energy intake in healthy-weight men: a randomized, crossover clinical trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2022 Mar 4;115(3):925-940.
- Ponticelli M, Lela L, Moles M, Mangieri C, Bisaccia D, Faraone I, Falabella R, Milella L. The healing bitterness of Gentiana lutea L., phytochemistry and biological activities: A systematic review. Phytochemistry. 2023 Feb;206:113518.
- Boeing T, de Souza J, Vilhena da Silva RC, Mariano LNB, Mota da Silva L, Gerhardt GM, Cretton S, Klein-Junior LC, de Souza P. Gastroprotective effect of Artemisia absinthium L.: A medicinal plant used in the treatment of digestive disorders. J Ethnopharmacol. 2023 Aug 10;312:116488. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116488. Epub 2023 Apr 13. PMID: 37059247.
- Li Y, Chen Y, Sun-Waterhouse D. The potential of dandelion in the fight against gastrointestinal diseases: A review. J Ethnopharmacol. 2022 Jul 15;293:115272.
- Fan M, Zhang X, Song H, Zhang Y. Dandelion (Taraxacum Genus): A Review of Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Effects. Molecules. 2023 Jun 27;28(13):5022.
- Chao WW, Lin BF. Bioactivities of major constituents isolated from Angelica sinensis (Danggui). Chin Med. 2011 Aug 19;6:29.
- Chen, Y, et al. The intestinal delivery systems of ferulic acid: Absorption, metabolism, influencing factors, and potential applications. Food Frontiers. Volume5, Issue3 May 2024 Pages 1126-1144.
- Aregawi LG, Shokrolahi M, Gebremeskel TG, Zoltan C. The Effect of Ginger Supplementation on the Improvement of Dyspeptic Symptoms in Patients With Functional Dyspepsia. Cureus. 2023 Sep 27;15(9):e46061.
- Nikkhah Bodagh M, Maleki I, Hekmatdoost A. Ginger in gastrointestinal disorders: A systematic review of clinical trials. Food Sci Nutr. 2018 Nov 5;7(1):96-108.
- Modi M, Modi K. Ginger Root. [Updated 2024 Aug 11]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK565886/
- Micklefield GH, Redeker Y, Meister V, Jung O, Greving I, May B. Effects of ginger on gastroduodenal motility. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1999 Jul;37(7):341-6. PMID: 10442508.
- Hudz N, et al. Mentha piperita: Essential Oil and Extracts, Their Biological Activities, and Perspectives on the Development of New Medicinal and Cosmetic Products. Molecules. 2023 Nov 6;28(21):7444.
- Peppermint oil is an effective antispasmodic. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 3, 596 (2006).
- Zong L, Qu Y, Luo DX, Zhu ZY, Zhang S, Su Z, Shan JC, Gao XP, Lu LG. Preliminary experimental research on the mechanism of liver bile secretion stimulated by peppermint oil. J Dig Dis. 2011 Aug;12(4):295-301.