There are few people who do not like sweets. Sweets may not satisfy hunger, but sweets are delicious and make you want more. There is a reason for this, because our ancestors already knew that something that tastes sweet is not poisonous.
Bitterness on the other hand, warns us that a food may be inedible or spoiled. Nevertheless, moderately bitter is healthy. By eating bitter foods, we absorb the beneficial ingredients of bitter substances.
What are bitter substances? And why are they important?
Bitter fruits and vegetables are an important source of Vitamins, Trace elements, Dietary fibre and Antioxidants. All this keeps our Nutrition healthy and balanced. There are several reasons why it is good, bitter Integrate herbs and foods into your diet.
Researchers studying the bitter compounds found in plants have made a strong case for using medicinal bitters for the health of the Digestive organs as well as for many other health benefits.
If you belong to the group of people who like this flavour, consider yourself lucky. We will explain why in the following lines.
Why do we taste bitter?
The importance of bitter taste is reflected in the extensive and complicated way our body recognises bitter substances. The bitter taste we taste is only the beginning.
Most scientists agree that our ability to recognise bitter flavours is based on a defence mechanism against toxic substances.
In nature, bitter and sour tastes are often associated with harmful plants and fruits. But many of the healthy foods we consume contain different flavour profiles, including bitterness. So the defensive notion of bitter receptors is only part of the story.
Bitter taste receptors
You may remember the diagram of the receptors on the tongue from school days. But when it comes to bitter taste, the idea that certain areas of the tongue correspond to certain tastes is outdated. We now know that our ability to sense taste is much more complex.
Researchers have found that natural receptors for bitter taste are found throughout the digestive tract. Research into bitter taste and how our receptors respond to bitterness is expanding our knowledge of how bitter foods affect digestion. In fact, the benefits of bitter digestive substances seem to be just the beginning of a long list of how they interact with our bodies.
Wolfgang Meirhoff's research at the German Institute of Human Nutrition has significantly changed the understanding of how our bitter taste receptors function. His work has shown that these unique taste receptors, called TAS2R or T2R, can detect over 100 different bitter taste profiles.
These bitter receptors mediate various activities in the nervous, vascular and endocrine (hormonal) systems. This means that the bitter substances we ingest - whether from the foods we eat or from toxic substances - trigger reactions through our nervous and circulatory systems.
The unique nature of these receptors also means that bitter substances can influence how and when certain hormones are released.
Bitterness is not always harmful and some bitter substances have a positive effect on health. Here are three of the most important benefits of bitters:
- Bitter substances stimulate bile secretion, which is responsible for the further elimination of toxic substances from the body.
- They also improve the production of gastric acid, which speeds up digestion.
- Bitterness can create a feeling of satiety that prevents overeating.
But let's focus on the first benefit mentioned that bitter substances offer us: the removal of toxic substances from the body or detoxification.
What does Detox mean?
Detox means cleansing the body of toxic or unnecessary substances. A healthy diet with lots of fruit and vegetable juices, relaxation exercises and baths should collect and eliminate harmful substances and toxins via the excretory organs (liver, kidneys, intestines and skin).
Nowadays, our bodies absorb so many toxins and pollutants that they cannot fully eliminate them without ingredients that promote and accelerate cleansing. In addition to an unhealthy diet full of additives, we consume harmful fats, sugar, nicotine, alcohol, environmental toxins and even stress every day.
Various detoxification methods have been developed to remove toxins and cleanse the skin, lymphatic system, intestines and internal organs.
How does the detox treatment work?
A detox treatment begins with bowel emptying. This is followed by days of juice drinking, during which only fruit and vegetable juices are drunk in addition to plenty of water and herbal tea, in order to stimulate the metabolism and digestion. In the following days, it is recommended to eat high-fibre foods consisting exclusively of fruit and vegetables or juices made from raw vegetables.
As with classical fasting, solid foods are gradually reintroduced. All this can be accompanied by treatments such as massages and baths to stimulate detoxification. Sauna, yoga and long walks in the fresh air also enhance the detoxifying effect. There are no set guidelines for the duration and frequency of detoxification treatments. Some people detox regularly at least once a week, others once a month and even less frequently.
It's time for spring cleaning!
After a long winter of being less active and eating rich foods, it is recommended to do a thorough "spring clean". With the following recipes, we help you to simply press "restart" to activate your energy.
Detox smoothies are used to detoxify the body and relieve and eliminate bloating and constipation. These five meals can be taken in one day and then we return to our normal diet. You can drink it every time you have problems with digestion. And you can also designate one day a month to cleanse your body from the inside.
5 BEST SPRING SMOOTHIES FOR DETOX
1. "Orange" Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 3 carrots
- 1 pepper
- 1 cucumber
- 1 green apple
- ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon omega-3 oils
This smoothie improves the function of your liver and thus helps to maintain your health.
2. avocado, kiwi and celery smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1 avocado
- 1 kiwi
- 1 piece celery
- 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
- a handful of fresh mint leaves
- freshly ground pepper
- a little sea salt
- 1 tablespoon omega-3 oil
Chop the fruit and vegetables before putting them in the blender. Mix them together with the seeds, mint and spices.
Avocado is rich in antioxidants and vitamins E and C. The phytonutrients found in kiwi serve to protect the DNA chain, remove free radicals and improve cardiovascular health. Celery protects you from various inflammations of the intestinal tract, while mint supports the digestive system as a source of magnesium, iron and calcium.
3. green super smoothie
Ingredients:
- 2 handfuls spinach
- 1 teaspoon spirulina
- 1 teaspoon wheatgrass powder
- Half cucumber
- 1 teaspoon matcha tea
- 1 teaspoon acai berry
- ½ fresh lemon
- One teaspoon honey
- Water
Slice the lemon and add the other ingredients. Then mix everything together. The perfect smoothie to cleanse the body full of vitamins and minerals.
4. green banana breakfast with dandelion leaves
Ingredients:
- 2 cups chopped young spinach leaves
- A handful of young dandelion leaves
- 1 banana
- 1 carrot, peeled and cut into pieces
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 3/4 cup ice
- 2 teaspoon honey
Place in a blender and chop completely.
5. green chard shake
A chard shake keeps you full and is easy to prepare.
Ingredients:
- A handful of fresh chard
- A handful of rocket
- 2 fresh green apples
- 1 tablespoon mixed seeds
- Saka walnut
- 2 cups water or almond milk
- 1 tablespoon omega-3 oil
Cut the chard in half, leaving only the soft parts. Put everything in a blender and mix.
Chlorophyll, which gives chard a beautiful green colour, promotes the elimination of heavy metals from the body through the urine. Through the blood, chlorophyll oxygenates the tissues and enables the elimination of toxins through respiration.
Spring detox is your chance to wake up and rejuvenate your body for the new season. So let's get to work, start fresh and cleanse your body and your life in spring. Make the choice to be radiant and healthy. You now have the perfect smoothies to do just that.
Images:
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Anna Tukhfatullina Food Photographer/Stylist from Pexels
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