Chips and chocolate come on. But when do you crave raw endive or Brussels sprouts? However, it is wise to eat bitter foods regularly.
Bitter is one of the five basic tastes in addition to sweet, salty, sour and umami. In general, most people like and dislike the same things. Bitter flavors aren't exactly at the top of the list of favorite flavors. According to research by Wageningen Food &Biobased Research, this is because bitter in nature is often an indication that something is poisonous. In addition, we have an innate preference for sweet from an early age. Sweet foods are generally high in energy. In prehistoric times, the preference for sweet and the aversion to bitter and sour was an important trait for survival.
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Something bitter will stabilize your blood sugar. The effect of bitter in your body is almost exactly opposite to that of sweet. Bitter substances can regulate insulin levels in your body, keeping your blood sugar relatively lower
. This way you get energy dips less quickly and the chance of binge eating is smaller.
Have you ever had the idea that Brussels sprouts and chicory used to be more bitter than they are now? That could be right. Because few people are fans of bitter, bitter fruits and vegetables have been crossed with sweeter varieties for years, making them taste milder. Nevertheless, the new variants still provide healthy bitter substances. So it certainly makes sense to put them on your menu. In any case, choose organic vegetables and fruit; these still contain most of these substances. This is partly due to the production method without fertilizers and pesticides and partly because old-fashioned fruit and vegetable varieties are used more often in organic cultivation.
Bitter foods include vitamins A, D, E and K, but also sulphur, for example. These substances stimulate your gallbladder and stomach acid production, so that your food is better digested. The movements of your intestinal wall also improve, so that more nutrients are absorbed.
Bitter food detoxifies and promotes liver function.
If you eat bitter foods more often, your cravings for sweet decreases. You also feel full faster.
Much research is being done into the effect of bitter substances on health.
The substances in the roots of chicory and chicory, for example, could be used in medicines against diarrhoea, burns, flu and neurological disorders. There are also indications of a beneficial effect in certain cardiovascular diseases and cancer
Source:Santé February 2019 Text:Annemieke de Gier
