Page 35 - Winter2010

NOT A MEDICINE BUT A NECESSITY is able to tolerate their presence; interestingly,
According to many, bitter herbs and foods many herbivores consume bitter-tasting plants
play a helpful role in alleviating many of these selectively, deliberately choosing plants that
conditions not so much because they act as are only mildly bitter, thus building up an im-
specific remedies but because they provide munity that helps protect the animal from the
components necessary to overall good health. toxicity of highly bitter plants. This adaptation
4,5
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It is very possible that the current national health allowed us to profit from some of the beneficial
crisis could be radically roles these compounds
turned around simply perform in the plant,
by rebalancing our pal- such as inhibiting the
ate with the medicinal growth of microbes, pro-
virtues of bitterness. tecting against oxidation,
Why do so many and reducing inflam-
cultures around the world mation. But most im-
3,6
revere bitter foods and portant, the protective
mechanism designed to
herbs, not just as supple-
ments, but as a necessary expel these potentially
component of health? To poisonous compounds
answer this question, let’s from the body became
first consider the class of muted and changed into
plant compounds collec- a highly beneficial reflex
tively known as “bitters.” that stimulates and toni-
These compounds—in- fies our entire digestive
cluding iridoids, sesqui- tract. Humans even-
2
terpene, lactones and tually recognized the
alkaloids—occur widely digestion-stimulating ef-
throughout the plant king- Dandelion: a common bitter herb fects of bitters, and began
dom. They are considered secondary plant me- to apply them in the diet for this purpose, as well
tabolites—meaning that they serve no nutritional as to promote appetite.
purpose to the plant, or for that matter, to us.
Rather, these compounds are used by the plant THE BITTER REFLEX
to protect itself against microbes and oxidative AND ITS IMPLICATIONS
damage, and to deter feeding by predators (such When a bitter substance is recognized by
as us). 3,6 bitter receptors on the tongue, a chain of neural
and endocrine events begins, labeled as the “bit- When a bitter
AN EVOLVED TASTE ter reflex.” Mediated by the release of the gastric
2
Researchers speculate that our bodies hormone gastrin, this reflex results in an overall substance is
evolved to identify the bitter taste as an indication stimulation of digestive function, which over recognized by
of toxicity, based on the natural aversion most time strengthens the structure and function of bitter
mammals demonstrate towards bitter-tasting all digestive organs (liver, stomach, gallbladder,
substances and the highly poisonous nature of pancreas, etc.). Let’s take a more in-depth look receptors on
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some of these bitter compounds. However, this at this reflex. the tongue,
7
evolutionary aversion would be disadvantageous Imagine you’ve tasted a bitter-tasting sub- a chain of
when humans were faced with bitter-tasting nu- stance. Within fifteen to thirty minutes, your
tritional plant foods in times of famine, during appetite is noticeably increased, your digestive neural and
which time periods, according to researchers, juices are flowing, and your intestines begin to endocrine
humans developed a selective tolerance for these contract in anticipation of food. 2,3,11 events begins,
bitter compounds. 8,9 Starting in your mouth, you’ll notice that
When eaten in small amounts, especially your salivary glands have increased their output labeled as the
in combination with carbohydrates, the body of enzyme-rich saliva, helping to break down “bitter reflex.”

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