| Nutrient | Content | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 248kCal | 248kCal |
| Carbohydrates | 6.4g | 6g |
| Alcohol (ethyl alcohol) | 31.7g | 32g |
| Dietary fiber | 0.1g | 0g |
| Water | 67.1g | 67g |
| Ash | 0.1g | 0g |
| Potassium, K | 1mg | 1mg |
| Calcium, Ca | 1mg | 1mg |
| Sodium, Na | 10mg | 10mg |
| Mono- and disaccharides (sugars) | 6.4g | 6g |
Many people know that sweets are harmful not only for the figure and teeth, but also for the heart, nervous system and even the beauty of the skin. And did you know that its antagonist - bitter taste - has the opposite effect not only on the taste buds, but also on the general state of health?
Bitter radish, wormwood tincture and even grapefruit, unlike nuts with boiled condensed milk, do not appeal to everyone. However, the not the most pleasant taste is fully compensated by the effect these products have on digestion, immunity and brain function.
Good news for those with a sweet tooth: adding food with a bitter taste to the diet is much easier than it seems at first glance. Let's find out more.
In the ranking of the most favorite tastes , bitter takes the last place, after lemon-sour and burning-spicy. It is fair to note that such an attitude is fully justified. The bitterness of certain plants and fruits signaled to ancient people that the food was potentially dangerous, poisonous or simply unripe.
Evolution has taught humans to stay away from bitter foods , lately having mercy on double espressos and dark chocolate. Even among gourmets, there are few fans of Chinese pumpkin or radish, and viburnum only the very brave are ready to eat in handfuls.
However, this is not necessary, because the bitter taste is useful even in small concentrations. Light bitterness , present in any leafy greens, sesame or broccoli, already has a positive effect on health.
The human body contains many receptors that perceive bitter taste , not only in the mouth, but also in the stomach, liver, intestines and pancreas. Stimulation of these receptors increases the production of digestive enzymes, which in turn improves the absorption of nutrients from food.
The effects of foods like fenugreek or chicory root on the entire digestive system are similar to probiotics: they stimulate the growth of healthy intestinal bacteria and generally support the diversity of the microbiome. And if we remember that there is a certain relationship between the condition of the gut and mental health, there is reason to say that a diet rich in bitter foods and drinks contributes (in contrast to sweets) to a good mood.
In traditional medicine, tinctures of bitter herbs have long been used to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Given that insulin contains bitter taste receptors , the hypoglycemic effect of any products containing it is quite logical. Of course, radishes are not a substitute for diabetes medicine, but balancing the love of strawberry cheesecake with them will be useful.
Bitter foods can suppress cravings for sweets and generally keep appetite under control. Researchers explain this effect by complex mechanisms involving hormones that control the feeling of satiety. It is difficult even for scientists to understand these processes, but everyone can notice the result. Participants in a small study who took capsules containing bitter compounds an hour before lunch ended up consuming 30% fewer calories than those who took a placebo.
While sweets contribute to fatty liver, bitter food supports its health. Even such a slight and almost imperceptible bitterness , which is possessed by leafy greens, accelerates detoxification processes, coordinates the metabolism of sugar and fat, and also lowers cholesterol. Which, of course, has a positive effect on the whole body in general.
A bitter taste in the mouth can be caused by a range of conditions, ranging from poor oral hygiene, bad habits, to more serious digestive conditions. In most cases, the bitter taste disappears after the underlying cause is removed.
In clinical practice, bitterness in the mouth is considered as a symptom of a number of diseases and metabolic disorders, hormonal changes. The main causes of bitterness in the mouth are called diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Bitterness in the mouth can be either constant or not - appear in the morning, after eating or after taking the drug - and may be accompanied by nausea, in some cases vomiting.
Let us consider in more detail the most common causes of bitterness in the mouth.
1. Poor oral hygiene
This problem often occurs after waking up. A bitter taste can occur due to the accumulation of bacteria in the interdental spaces and around the gums. Bacteria accumulate and form plaque.
What to do: brush your teeth twice a day, it is also important to clean the tongue from plaque; use dental floss to remove interdental deposits; stop smoking; rinse your mouth with herbal decoction of chamomile, cloves, mint and thyme or coconut oil; visit the dentist in a timely manner.
2. Imbalance of intestinal flora and helminthiases
As a result of the multiplication of bacteria and fungi in the intestine, intra-abdominal pressure increases, which leads to an exacerbation of GERD - gastroesophageal reflux disease.
3. GERD (heartburn, acid reflux)
The valve between the esophagus and stomach should normally keep gastric juice in the stomach. But, if it is weak or damaged, the acid causes a burning sensation, as well as a sour and bitter taste in the mouth. Acid reflux is a condition where stomach acid enters the esophagus, causing heartburn.
What to do: First of all, you need to start with nutrition and restoration of the gastric mucosa. You should limit the use of certain foods:
To heal the mucosa, add baked apples, flax seeds, turmeric, bone broth, baked meat and fish, baked vegetables. After eating, avoid deep and sharp tilts of the torso and do not lie down for two hours after eating; do not tighten the stomach after eating with a tight belt.
For normal recovery of the gastrointestinal tract, the last meal should be no later than three hours before bedtime.
Do not overeat, eat in a relaxed atmosphere, chew food thoroughly. Minimize alcohol and smoking.
4. Diseases of the gallbladder and liver
Bile is a secretion that is produced in the liver and is used to digest foods containing fat, and therefore plays a key role in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. From the liver, bile enters the gallbladder through the bile duct and, during digestion, from the gallbladder enters the duodenum. With excessive consumption of fatty foods, too much bile is formed, and with diseases of the liver and gallbladder, bile may not come out completely and stagnate, which leads to bitterness in the mouth.
This process may be accompanied by icteric staining of the skin and mucous membranes, swelling and enlargement of the liver. In the analysis of feces (coprogram), undigested fatty acids (soaps) can be seen. Feces become pasty, greasy, difficult to wash off the walls of the toilet.
What to do: Keep your liver and gallbladder healthy by following a nutritious diet. Give up bad habits and contact a nutritionist for an individual analysis of nutrition.
How to normalize the function of the detox system? Find out at the popular science show "Biochemistry of Detoxification". Register now and receive a free guide "Self-diagnosis of detoxification disorders"
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"Biochemistry of detoxification" More5. Medication
There are some medicines that cause bitterness in the mouth. These may include antibiotics, gout medications, and treatments for heart disease.
The active substances of antibiotics are metabolized and excreted by the liver. The liver perceives them as toxins, therefore, during or after taking antibiotics, there are complaints of pain in the liver and bitterness in the mouth.
Bitterness may appear due to dysbacteriosis due to antibiotics. Under normal conditions, beneficial bacteria live in the human intestine, capable of synthesizing vitamins, neurotransmitters and strengthening the immune system. Antibiotics destroy the normal microflora, an imbalance occurs, which leads to dysbacteriosis.
Bitterness in the mouth can be a side effect of taking antihistamine (anti-allergic) drugs.
Changes in taste in the mouth are temporary and should stop when changing the drug.
What to do: If after taking a new drug, the bitter taste does not disappear within a few days, you should contact your doctor to find an alternative.
6. Vitamin deficiency
The taste of bitterness in the mouth can be associated with a serious deficiency of vitamins and nutrients that are essential for the proper functioning of the body, including gustatory and olfactory functions.
But it should be noted that both deficiency and excess, for example, zinc can cause bitterness in the mouth.
Iron deficiency causes taste distortion. His status can be assessed by complete blood count, serum iron and ferritin levels. Bitterness in the mouth may appear due to a deficiency in the body of vitamin B12. To make up for the lack of this vitamin, you need to eat foods that contain it. Mostly these are products of animal origin. Vitamin B12 is found in beef liver, cheese, cottage cheese, sardines, rabbit meat, milk, and non-activated yeast.
What to do: get tested for deficiencies and consult a nutritionist.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can be suspected at home using special questionnaires. Download the guide and evaluate the presence of deficits.
Remember that the questionnaire is for informational purposes and does not replace laboratory diagnostics.
7. Pregnancy
During pregnancy, bitterness in the mouth has two causes: hormonal and anatomical.
Hormonal cause: estrogen and progesterone help reduce gastrointestinal motility and slow down the digestion process. These hormones block the contractile activity of muscle tissue, which leads to biliary dyskinesia, atony of the gallbladder and intestines. During the first trimester of pregnancy, progesterone relaxes the valve that separates the stomach from the esophagus, causing acid to back up into the esophagus. Bitterness, nausea and vomiting - all these unpleasant symptoms are often called toxicosis.
The pancreas produces more of the hormone glucagon, which activates the synthesis of ketone bodies in the liver, which causes bitterness during pregnancy.
Anatomical reason: during pregnancy, an increase in the uterus leads to a displacement of the digestive organs and the entire gastrointestinal tract, which can also provoke bends and clamps and, as a result, bitterness in the mouth. Such problems occur in late pregnancy. To reduce discomfort, you should follow a diet: exclude fried, sour, eat in small portions, and also avoid drinking liquids with meals. Do not neglect yoga and fitness for pregnant women - this helps to maintain lymph flow and bile outflow.
About the nuances of fitness for pregnant women told in the article
8. Stress
Cortisol, a stress hormone, has a destructive effect on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. When you experience negative emotions, not getting enough sleep, eating irregularly, you increase your cortisol levels.
Use anti-stress practices and meditation to lower your cortisol levels.
The first and main advice is to contact a generalist and do not self-medicate. Due to the fact that bitterness in the mouth can be a symptom of many diseases, a comprehensive examination by specialists from different fields will be required to clarify the problem:
For example, if there is no reason to assume the presence of diseases of the oral cavity and bitterness in the mouth is accompanied by pain in the right side, nausea, heartburn and bloating, the therapist will refer you to a gastroenterologist.
The set of specific diagnostic methods will depend on the specifics of the manifestation of this symptom. Time of occurrence, for example.
Bitterness in the mouth in the morning
It is more common in pathologies of the gallbladder, biliary tract and liver.
Bitterness in the mouth after eating
There are foods and substances that can cause a bitter taste, such as pine nuts, St. John's wort or sea buckthorn oil.
If the food was too fatty, spicy, of poor quality, and even in large quantities, bitterness in the mouth immediately after eating is the physiological result of overloading the entire digestive system.
If bitterness appeared about an hour after eating, pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and duodenum can be suspected.
Bitterness in the mouth after eating and heartburn
There is a possibility of gastritis and GERD.
Constant bitterness in the mouth throughout the day
Can be felt with cholecystitis, bending of the gallbladder, liver failure.
Bitterness is present situationally
This nature of the problem can indicate medication, smoking, stress, and even allergies.
Bitter taste and bad breath
In this situation, dental problems and problems with the gastrointestinal tract are possible.
This unpleasant condition is a signal of the presence of a disease. This is a consequence, not a cause.
Therefore, it is important, in addition to a temporary improvement in the quality of life with the help of drugs, under the supervision of specialists, to look for the cause, globally change the lifestyle and treat the diseases that cause this symptom.
Once again, it is important to emphasize that bitterness in the mouth is not just an unpleasant sensation that causes inconvenience, but a signal of a malfunction in the body, so trying to eliminate it yourself without the participation of a doctor is not recommended.
Just as it is impossible to list all the possible causes of this symptom, it is also impossible to describe all the ways to eliminate bitterness in the mouth. In one case, lifestyle changes are sufficient, while in the other, complex, highly specialized treatment is needed. We will share simple tips that will help prevent the disease or even stop its development:
And most importantly - take this problem seriously and contact a specialist in a timely manner. Bitterness in the mouth, as a rule, is not an isolated symptom, so it is necessary to inform the specialist about other unpleasant sensations that occur in the body.
Eggplant is a very popular vegetable. It is boiled, fried, baked, caviar is cooked, stewed. Eggplant is a component of many first and second courses, snacks. The only inconvenience when cooking eggplant dishes is that they can be bitter. And this bitterness must be removed before cooking so that the dish itself does not become bitter later.
The main assistant, when removing bitterness from eggplant, will be salt. It will help draw out the bitter substances from the eggplant. Then, just rinse the pieces or slices of eggplant under running water and you can start cooking.
As a rule, the peel, not the pulp, has a bitter taste. Therefore, sometimes it is enough to peel eggplants to get rid of the bitter taste. This can be done if peeling eggplant does not contradict the recipe. In other cases, ordinary salt will help us.
Recipes with blue eggplant
Step 1
To remove bitterness from eggplant, we need salt, a knife, a bowl, a colander.
Step 2
Sometimes you can just peel the eggplant to get rid of the bitterness.
Step 3
The wet method of removing bitterness involves soaking chopped eggplant for 30 minutes in salted water (1 tablespoon of salt per 1 liter of water).
Step 4
Eggplants float in such water, so press the eggplant slices on top with a saucer.
Step 5
After soaking, rinse the eggplant under running water. The eggplant is ready to go.
Step 6
For a dry method of removing bitterness, cut the eggplant in half and sprinkle the flesh with salt. Leave for 20 minutes.
Step 7
Wash off the salt. The eggplant is ready to go.