A row of healthy benefits for bitter food consumption

Many people may not like bitter foods such as bitter melon or papaya leaves. The bitter taste of bitter melon or other green vegetables makes your appetite decrease because you have already imagined how bitter it will feel in your mouth when it is consumed.

However, who would have thought bitter food turned out to have some benefits that are good for health. Launching Best Health on Thursday (1/24/2019), here are 5 bitter food benefits for health that you need to know.

Balancing appetite

Eating bitter foods such as bitter melon or other green vegetables that have a bitter taste can train and balance our appetite to like foods that are healthier than foods that contain sugar and we normally consume. "Every time you eat whole foods including bitter vegetables, it adds to your appetite for nutritious foods," explained Theresa Albert, a nutritionist in Toronto.

Helps absorb nutrients

A professional dietitian from Halifax, NS, Nicole Dube, says bitter foods and herbs help stimulate digestion and support food digestion.

"In addition, bitter foods also help stimulate taste receptors on the tongue which then stimulate the production of enzymes and bile flow. The better the food is digested, the more nutrients will be absorbed from your food," Dube explained.

Dube recommends a balanced diet that includes all types of food. But if someone has digestive problems, Dube recommends they try bitter foods.

Detoxify the liver

Detoxification is the process of removing toxins in the body. Bitter vegetables such as bitter melon, papaya leaves, radicchio, and other green vegetables that have bitter taste contain phytonutrients that support the liver to manage cholesterol, balance hormones, detoxify the blood and metabolize fat.

Contains lots of nutrients

In general, bitter vegetables contain many nutrients such as vitamins A, C and K but also contain minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium. Bitter vegetables are also high in folate and fiber and low in fat and low in sodium.

For example arugula vegetables that contain beta carotene, vitamin C, calcium and iron, while dandelion vegetables provide vitamins A, E, K, calcium, iron and antioxidants.

Reducing the preference for sugar

Most people really like food with a sweet taste compared to foods with bitter taste. However, consuming sweet foods and containing lots of sugar can make a person get diabetes. Therefore, it is also recommended to consume green vegetables.

"I encourage people to consume green vegetables that are rich in nutrients, fiber, and make us feel full whether or not bitter vegetables, so the temptation to take and consume sugar-laden foods is reduced," said Joanne Lewis at CDA.