How can bitter herbs help with digestion and IBS?
Nowadays, certainly in the typical modern, Western-style diet, many of the bitter elements of our diet have been somewhat lost and have been replaced with many more sweet and salty tastes. Unfortunately, your digestive system responds particularly well to bitterness and we need more of it!
See, bitterness, which is defined and categorized physiologically by taste rather than analytically (the bitter value is determined by the number of millilitres of water in which 1g of the substance still clearly tastes bitter), helps to gently trigger the secretion of digestive juices. This is why bitter liquid formulas are thought to be preferable to tablets or capsules, as the actual taste of them in the mouth goes on to create much of their effect.
Some important bitter herbal ingredients to look out for, include:
1. Gentian
Yellow gentian root has a bitter value of 10,000 – 20,000, due to its bitter glycoside content. Gentian is commonly listed as a herbal ingredient used to help relieve some of the symptoms associated with IBS. (1,2,3)
See, it is this bitterness found in herbs such as gentian which is thought to help normalise digestive functions, which, in turn, can also help to regain balance within your good gut bacteria, and therefore reduce problem symptoms, such as flatulence or bloating. (4)
2. Blessed Thistle
Blessed Thistle contains bitters of the sesquiterpene lactone type, with a bitter value of 300,000! It also contains volatile oils and many minerals including potassium and magnesium, and has been used traditionally to help relieve digestive upset and many of the symptoms associated with IBS, such as dyspepsia (indigestion). (5)
The bitterness helps by supporting the production of natural gastric secretions, and has also been shown in research to help with the countering of some unfriendly gastric bacteria. (6)
Which other herbs could help?
As well as bitter herbs, calmative herbs are another class of herbs often used in the management of IBS. As the name suggests, these are often calming and antispasmodic in their action. Some common herbal ingredients to look out for include:
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Yarrow
Yarrow is a quite unique herb, as it works as both an aromatic bitter, therefore supporting the stomach and the secretion of bile, and a calming, antispasmodic for the gastrointestinal tract. (6)
Yarrow is also thought to have a gentle astringent action, meaning it could also help to counter any lingering intestinal inflammation.
2. Lemon Balm
The volatile oils contained within Lemon Balm are thought to have therapeutic effect, meaning it is calming, relaxing and may even be able to help relieve troublesome cramps. The sedative and relaxing effect of this herb is very useful in nervous stomach and intestinal complaints, such as those associated with IBS, and has been subject of much research, especially when in combination with other digestive herbs. (7,8)
Lemon Balm also contains carboxylic acids that are considered responsible for its beneficial effect on bile production. (9)
3. Peppermint Oil
Peppermint oil has been subject to a number of clinical trials evaluating its effect on abdominal pain symptoms relating to IBS. Many of the trials found improvements in multiple symptoms of IBS, including pain, discomfort and dyspepsia, especially when used in combination with other digestive herbs. (10)
