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Most people think of bitters and immediately jump to classic cocktails. Others think about tasting them from the bottle, and their face instinctively scrunches up. With the appropriate balance, bitters can be an amazing flavor enhancer and May even have some medicinal benefits.
Digestive bitters have been used for centuries and still are to this day, but are bitters good for you? Much like an aperitif before a meal, many cultures embrace a digestif shot after a meal. Modern-day cocktail bitters are more about the flavor than they are about the digestive properties of the plants used in them.
What Is In Bitters
Bitters are made by steeping botanicals, spices, and herbs in a solvent. High-proof alcohol or glycerin is typically used as a solvent. In a similar fashion to making vanilla extract, bitters are made by steeping flavors into the solvent over the course of a few weeks. Gentian Root is the most common bitter botanical found in cocktail bitters because of its clean flavor. Bitters are liquid seasonings for both food and drink.
Cocktail Bitters
Bitterroot is a perfect base for adding spices and herbs to bring out particular flavors. We can sense sweet, sour, salty, umami, and bitter flavors. Sometimes bitters are paired with floral scents such as orange or lavender; you can find bitters with warm spices like nutmeg and cinnamon or with ginger. Cocktail bitters are used to round out flavors in the glass and to highlight the featured alcohol. A dash of bitters and the right flavor notes can take a drink to the next level.
Digestive Bitters
Digestive bitters are more potent than aromatic bitters used in cocktail recipes. They are a wide variety of herbs and botanicals based on the desired effects you want to have. Digestive bitters work preventatively to help keep your gastrointestinal system on track. Certain digestive bitters have been known to help with digestion, blood pressure, cholesterol, and many other ailments that have people concerned.
How Bitters Help
Are bitters good for you? When you take the time to use them properly, yes. Bitters can elevate your recipes and drinks by rounding out the flavors. You don’t want to overpower your taste buds by using too much when flavoring, so use it sparingly. Digestive bitters can make for a great healthy tea to drink in the afternoon. Consider adding a dash of bitters to make some flavorful meals or when you choose to sip casual drinks with some friends.
Add A Dash To Your Diet
If you have been wondering, with all the information out there on nonalcoholic drinks, “are bitters good for you”? the answer is a resounding yes. Bitters have a variety of benefits in both the world of food and beverages and the medicinal field as well. Working a few bitters into your diet today, can make a sizable impact on your future health. When you make subtle changes to your everyday life, you are on your way to seeing an impactful change in your overall health because those healthy changes become involuntary after a while.
