05/04/2022
As an herbalist, forager, and foodie, my use of herbs extends from my garden to my medicine cabinet to my kitchen. Dandelion greens are one of those humble and unappreciated herbs that span the gap..
Not only are dandelions nutrient-rich, but they are considered bitters - literally because they have a bitter flavor.
This bitter flavor is a very important, ancient, and bioactive principle in plants. From an ancient biological perspective we're actually hardwired to depend on the bitter taste for healthy metabolism, gut, and hormone health. In fact, we don't even just have bitter receptors on our tongues. we have them in our digestive systems, too.
Bitters...
🌼tell your body to produce digestive juices, get your gall bladder to do its work
🌼improve bowel regularity and elimination
🌼help to reduce inflammation
🌼improve our mood (including reducing depression!)
🌼keep your hormones in healthy balance
🌼support healthy blood sugar
🌼 & in traditional herbalism, the bitter taste is also used to help with skin problems, like hormonally related acne
Bitter plant foods may in fact be the most important link between our modern and ancestral biology and diets - the chemicals that create the bitter flavor trigger important biological responses while reminding us on some deep level of our innate primeval biology.
Bitter is a taste that we've replaced as a culture with sweet & salty. I hope to convince you to try a little more bitter in your diet. I promise that the taste is easily tempered with acid - lemon, vinegar, tomato, etc.
At the link: https://avivaromm.com/bitters-for-digestion/ you'll not only learn more about bitters, but you'll find a t a FREE recipe download!
In this image, I'm harvesting dandelions in my yard - which we keep 100% organic and is pet-poo free. Unless you know that your yard is organic and no animals have peed on your dandelions, I wouldn't go picking them around your house - but most farmers markets, coops, and natural food stores will have them in the produce section.
And hey - want to study herbal medicine with me? Yes! You can learn all about my course Herbal Medicine for Women at my website. I'd love to share the incredible world of medicinal plants with you!
