College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

 

AYURVEDIC HERB SUPPLEMENTS

Digestive Bitters HERBAL POWDER

Digestive bitters are revered in Europe for digestion, rejuvenation, bloating relief, and mental sharpness. Caution! A little goes a long way.

See My Recommendations.

How Does This Ayurvedic Herb Supplement Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

When you feel heavy, sluggish and cloudy, re-energizing may be as simple as taking bitter herbs and spices. Bitters stimulate digestion, and cleanse the liver and blood of heavy fats. Poor digestion, so prevalent today, was a foreign ailment to our ancestors. This is because for millennia our ancestors' diets were high in bitters. Bitters are often lacking or completely absent from our modern diet. Digestive bitters, perhaps what your body is silently craving, can help you digest your food without leaving you tired or suffering from acid reflux or bloating. This formula contains herbs traditionally used for:


  • Lifting stomach heaviness and sluggishness after eating
  • Difficulty concentrating & sharpening cloudy thoughts
  • Decongesting the gall bladder
  • Detoxifying the blood
  • Relieving uncomfortable abdominal bloating and swelling
  • Reducing cholesterol, blood sugar, and triglycerides
  • Weight loss


Bitters, the Liver & Digestion


Digestive bitters are the most popular digestive remedy in Europe. They help food move through your digestive tract easily by stimulating peristalsis - the cleansing muscular contractions of the digestive tract. Bitters contribute to regularity in elimination of the bowels. They also increase digestive enzymes, speeding up the digestive process. Inefficient digestion siphons large amounts of energy, making a person feel tired, moody or just plain yucky. Efficient digestion makes a person feel light, energized, refreshed, and clear headed, which is why bitters are a great remedy if you often feel tired or lethargic after eating. Bitters directly detoxify the blood, and decongest the liver and gall bladder by stimulating bile secretion. Bitters also reduce cholesterol, blood sugar, and triglycerides. Bitters also have the power to eliminate unhealthy food cravings by resetting your palate.

SUGGESTED USE

1/4 tsp in warm water before meals, 1-2x daily or as directed by your practitioner.
How should I take my herbs?
Follow these guidelines

Contains: Amalaki Dehydrated Chopped Fruit, Peppermint, Brahmi/ Gotu Kola Chopped Leaf, Neem Leaf, Bitter Orange Peel, Licorice Root Pieces, Ginger Root Pieces, Fennel Whole Seed

Metabolic Nature of Digestive Bitters

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.
INCREASES
Guna Help

Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas)

Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic.

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CLEAR

ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR

MOBILE

ABOUT MOBILE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Mobile refers to anything that stimulates the nervous system, muscles, or activity.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MOBILE

TASTES
Taste Help

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

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BITTER

ABOUT BITTER BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Bitter taste has cholagogue action - it is cold, clear, light, and stimulating. It increases digestive enzymes, laxative, and drying.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BITTER

PUNGENT

ABOUT PUNGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PUNGENT

DOSHAS
Dosha Help

The Three Doshas / Body Types

According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history.

The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. They are easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. They tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. If they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Anabolic people tend to be stable and grounded.

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PACIFIES
Kapha pacifying Pitta pacifying Vata pacifying
HAS THE FOLLOWING
Subtaste:
Aromatic

AROMATIC

Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues.

SEE ALL 'AROMATIC' FOODS / HERBS


Affinity: Cleanse And Detox, Digestion
HERBAL ACTIONS
(see all)

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Digestive Bitters
Help
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

Appetizer

APPETIZER

Herbs that cleanse the palate & stimulate hunger or desire to eat.

SEE ALL 'APPETIZER' FOODS / HERBS

,
Digestive

DIGESTIVE

Herbs that encourage healthy digestion.

SEE ALL 'DIGESTIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Internal Detoxicant

INTERNAL-DETOXICANT

Liquefies, dissolves, decongests or dislodges internal stagnant toxins. Decongests the lymphatic system.

SEE ALL 'INTERNAL-DETOXICANT' FOODS / HERBS

Anti Inflammatory

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

Reduces inflammation in the body. Different herbs and carriers target different body systems.

SEE ALL 'ANTI-INFLAMMATORY' FOODS / HERBS

,
Antibacterial

ANTIBACTERIAL

Herbs that kill bacteria or slow their growth.

SEE ALL 'ANTIBACTERIAL' FOODS / HERBS

Alterative

ALTERATIVE

Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.

SEE ALL 'ALTERATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Cholagogue

CHOLAGOGUE

Cholagogues stimulate the production & release of bile from the liver & gallbladder. This refreshes and cleanses these organs, as well as increases bile in the small intestines.

SEE ALL 'CHOLAGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS

,
Livotonic

LIVOTONIC

An herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias. Generally, liver tonics are oily, cool, sweet, mildly sour, or contain beta-carotene.

SEE ALL 'LIVOTONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Hypolipidemic

HYPOLIPIDEMIC

Scrapes fats / cleanses blood vessels by 1) purging bile, 2) strengthening the liver's ability to metabolize fats, 3) by increasing uptake of cholesterol in the liver, and 4) by inhibiting fat cells.

SEE ALL 'HYPOLIPIDEMIC' FOODS / HERBS

,
Lowers Blood Sugar

LOWERS-BLOOD-SUGAR

An herb that lowers blood sugar.

SEE ALL 'LOWERS-BLOOD-SUGAR' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Digestive Bitters

Dandelion Leaves

Dandelion Leaves has these Actions in Common

Anti-inflammatory, Hypolipidemic, Lowers-blood-sugar, Cholagogue, Internal-detoxicant, Alterative, Digestive, Livotonic

LEARN MORE

Turmeric Root (Fresh)

Turmeric Root (Fresh) has these Actions in Common

Anti-inflammatory, Digestive, Lowers-blood-sugar, Antibacterial, Hypolipidemic, Alterative, Cholagogue, Internal-detoxicant

LEARN MORE

Turmeric

Turmeric has these Actions in Common

Anti-inflammatory, Digestive, Lowers-blood-sugar, Antibacterial, Hypolipidemic, Alterative, Cholagogue, Internal-detoxicant

LEARN MORE

Burdock Root (Gobo)

Burdock Root (Gobo) has these Actions in Common

Anti-inflammatory, Internal-detoxicant, Cholagogue, Livotonic, Alterative, Hypolipidemic, Lowers-blood-sugar

LEARN MORE

Aloe Vera Juice / Gel

Aloe Vera Juice / Gel has these Actions in Common

Anti-inflammatory, Hypolipidemic, Antibacterial, Internal-detoxicant, Alterative, Cholagogue, Lowers-blood-sugar

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Cilantro

Cilantro has these Actions in Common

Anti-inflammatory, Digestive, Appetizer, Hypolipidemic, Alterative, Cholagogue, Internal-detoxicant

LEARN MORE

Endive

Endive has these Actions in Common

Internal-detoxicant, Cholagogue, Lowers-blood-sugar, Alterative, Hypolipidemic, Anti-inflammatory

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Kale

Kale has these Actions in Common

Anti-inflammatory, Internal-detoxicant, Cholagogue, Lowers-blood-sugar, Alterative, Hypolipidemic

LEARN MORE

Fenugreek

Fenugreek has these Actions in Common

Digestive, Lowers-blood-sugar, Anti-inflammatory, Hypolipidemic, Cholagogue, Internal-detoxicant

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Allspice

Allspice has these Actions in Common

Antibacterial, Internal-detoxicant, Appetizer, Lowers-blood-sugar, Anti-inflammatory, Digestive

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Arugula

Arugula has these Actions in Common

Digestive, Lowers-blood-sugar, Hypolipidemic, Cholagogue, Internal-detoxicant

LEARN MORE

Herb Supplements with a Similar Nature to Digestive Bitters

Dandelion Root

Dandelion Root has these Actions in Common

Digestive, Hypolipidemic, Internal-detoxicant, Livotonic, Lowers-blood-sugar, Alterative, Anti-inflammatory, Cholagogue

LEARN MORE

Bhumyamalaki

Bhumyamalaki has these Actions in Common

Cholagogue, Digestive, Hypolipidemic, Internal-detoxicant, Livotonic, Alterative, Anti-inflammatory

LEARN MORE

Neem Leaf

Neem Leaf has these Actions in Common

Hypolipidemic, Internal-detoxicant, Lowers-blood-sugar, Alterative, Anti-inflammatory, Antibacterial, Cholagogue

LEARN MORE

Punarnava

Punarnava has these Actions in Common

Cholagogue, Digestive, Hypolipidemic, Internal-detoxicant, Lowers-blood-sugar, Alterative, Anti-inflammatory

LEARN MORE

Yellow Dock

Yellow Dock has these Actions in Common

Internal-detoxicant, Lowers-blood-sugar, Alterative, Anti-inflammatory, Cholagogue, Digestive

LEARN MORE

Mugwort

Mugwort has these Actions in Common

Internal-detoxicant, Anti-inflammatory, Antibacterial, Appetizer, Cholagogue, Digestive

LEARN MORE

Goldenseal

Goldenseal has these Actions in Common

Cholagogue, Digestive, Internal-detoxicant, Alterative, Anti-inflammatory, Antibacterial

LEARN MORE

Patola

Patola has these Actions in Common

Lowers-blood-sugar, Anti-inflammatory, Digestive, Hypolipidemic, Internal-detoxicant

LEARN MORE

Bitter Ghee - Tikta Ghrta (9 fl oz)

Bitter Ghee - Tikta Ghrta (9 fl oz) has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Anti-inflammatory, Cholagogue, Hypolipidemic, Livotonic

LEARN MORE

Mahatikata Ghrta

Mahatikata Ghrta has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Anti-inflammatory, Cholagogue, Hypolipidemic, Livotonic

LEARN MORE

Guduchi

Guduchi has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Anti-inflammatory, Cholagogue, Internal-detoxicant, Livotonic

LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized school of biocharacteristics medicine.

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR THESE SYMPTOMS

Digestive Bitters may be beneficial for these symptoms. The suitability of any herb supplement for a condition is highly dependent on the individual. Please see your doctor before using this herb supplement to treat a medical condition.

HERB DRUG INTERACTION RISK

Here are some potential herb drug interactions. Please see your health care provider for more information.
  • Alterative: Anything that strengthens or cleanses the liver can clear drugs mroe quickly, requiring a higher dose.
  • Cholagogue: Anything that strengthens or cleanses the liver can clear drugs mroe quickly, requiring a higher dose.
  • Hypolipidemic: May magnify the effect of cholesterol lowering drugs.
  • Livotonic: Anything that strengthens or cleanses the liver can clear drugs mroe quickly, requiring a higher dose.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Reviews for Digestive Bitters

full start reviewfull start reviewfull start reviewfull start reviewhalf start review(4.91 out of 5 stars) 11 ratings
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It is available in powder form.
Should I drink the herbs or strain them? They are extremely bitter can I use a little honey to sweeten them up or mix i a spoon of apple sauce instead?
- Sally, St. louis, MO
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, 05-21-13 (Reply)
Dear Sally, Yes, you can mix honey into them. If you are unused to bitter taste, the formula may appear strong. Usually within 40 days the tastebuds recalibrate. Then you may find you have an entirely new relationship with bitter taste. Also, brewing and straining should give you control over the strength of the formula. ~John
Strong but good. I dilute them with apple juice. My husband likes them too.
- sarah scott, Monterey, CA
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, 06-20-13 (Reply)
My husband and I have each tried the digestive bitters twice -- does as advertised and it is not at all difficult to drink. A great replacement for my previous OTC "bubbly" antacid, so my travel bag now includes a container of DB to mix with water when I've eaten too much rich food. One tip: upon opening the packet, don't inhale! (I was curious as to how the mix smelled and the cayenne went right up my nose!)
- Sharon H Barnett, Lindsay, CA
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, 09-05-13 (Reply)
Really HOT!!!!
- Patricia McCormick, Madison, WI , 01-17-14 (Reply)
Is it ok to drink them AFTER a meal? do they help in the same way? - Donna H Indian Land, SC
- Donna Hartenstine, Charlotte, NC , 04-22-14 (Reply)
Am very happy with the effects of the bitter herbs. Do they come in two different varieties? The one I have you need to brew for 5 minutes and strain. Is there one that is instant? I actually like the taste and my digestion and elimination have improved immensely. Believe this product to be a keeper.
- Krutika, Austerlitz, NY
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, 06-13-14 (Reply)
Thanks for the comments on Digestive Bitters....it has become a bestseller! If it tastes bad to you, mix with almond milk!
- David McKaig, Swannanoa, NC , 09-16-14 (Reply)
Yes, J, Digestive Bitters are safe for a Vata Constitution without a gallbladder for short term use. Just be mindful to keep enough juicy, unctuous, heavy foods in your diet to keep Vata nice and mellow. Hope that helps!
- Heather Vaughan, CAy, RYT, Albuquerque, NM , 12-11-14 (Reply)
I am 61 and Pitta dosha though Vata symptoms because of age? I am wondering do I attempt to address balancing of both? Also gallstones though avoiding surgery have worked through diet to avoid any further gallbladder attacks since 4 years. Now have thyroiditis though has not gone into Graves or Hashimotos as yet. Thank you, Patricia
- Patricia, Colorado springs, CO , 12-20-14 (Reply)
If you don't have a gallbladder, can this be used, and if so, for how long? Without a gallbladder, would one use it daily or rotate it?
- Karen Moussou, Fort wayne , IN , 01-01-15 (Reply)
Yes! This formula is quite helpful for those who have had their gall bladder removed and may ease some of the digestive discomfort you experience. Take a break for one week a month.
- Heather Vaughan, CAy, RYT, Albuquerque, NM , 01-07-15 (Reply)
Yes, you may take this formula during pregnancy, but please take a half dose.
- Heather Vaughan, CAy, RYT, Albuquerque, NM , 03-09-15 (Reply)
They might be intense for a 5 year old - more bitter greens in the diet might be a better approach. If you did decide to try it, begin with a very small dose.
- Kimberly Kubicke, Asbury park, NJ
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, 01-25-16 (Reply)
Wonderful product; I had my gallbladder surgically removed. The 1st time I used the digestive bitters,I knew I had found the right product. Thank you!
- Joyce Latimore, Pembroke pines, FL
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, 04-03-16 (Reply)
Hi John, I'm having a hard time adjusting to the taste of the digestive bitters. Would it be okay for me to put the recommended 1/4 tsp into empty vegetarian capsules and just swallow it that way?Anne Morrison, Ann Arbor MI.
- Cornelia Morrison, Whitmore lake , MI , 07-05-16 (Reply)
Anne,Part of the medicine is in the taste. If it is unbearable, then taking the capsules will be more helpful than not taking the herbs at all, but you will not get the maximum benefit.
- Kimberly Kubicke, Asbury park, NJ , 07-06-16 (Reply)
It depends on the person. This blend is particularly useful for Vata and Kapha types.
- Kimberly Kubicke, Asbury park, NJ , 06-20-17 (Reply)
- Barbara, Pueblo, CO
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, 09-19-19 (Reply)
We generally recommend working with a practitioner when using herbs. You can see the recommended uses under the contents and usage tab.
- Kimberly Kubicke, Asbury park, NJ , 02-13-20 (Reply)
Super cleansing tea! Taste is great and the results are perfect
- Lisa, Elmira, NY
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, 09-15-20 (Reply)
Glad you're finding it beneficial Lisa!
- Katie Clinton, Ferndale, sligo, AL
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, 09-16-20 (Reply)
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