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A Breakdown of Bitters: Why is OWL Digestive Bitters The Best

If you’re into digestive health, then you know why we’re big on bitters. Ancient Chinese Medicine has employed this magical method to help with slow moving, uncomfortable guts for thousands of years. Though the combination of ingredients may vary between concoctions, the remedy still packs a potent punch.

Many of us believe that discomfort after eating is a part of life. That it’s just something everyone deals with.

 

But the truth is that your gut deserves better. You deserve better. If there was a way to relieve gas, indigestion, and bloating after eating, who wouldn’t take it? No one wants to feel regret for enjoying a tasty meal - it can really suck the joy out of life and keep you from living in the moment. Afterall, so much happens between friends and family around the dinner table. You should be focused on the fun, not the funk. 

What’s In Our Bitters?

So what exactly are you getting out of our special blend of digestive friendly bitters? Let’s start with the obvious ingredient - bitter herbs. The bitter flavor of all these ingredients begins the digestive process once they enter your mouth. But many of them also have healing properties as well, including antibacterial and antiinflammatory super powers. 

Dandelion Root 

This powerful antioxidant can help reduce inflammation. It’s rich in fiber inulin which increases intestinal movement supported by the growth of good bacteria in your intestines. It also contains a heap of vitamins and minerals that keep you healthy. 

Gentian Root 

This ancient bitter is used to counteract indigestion, loss of appetite, and bouts of heartburn. It is known to increase saliva production, as well as digestive enzyme and stomach acid production.

Yellow Dock Root 

Yellow dock supports the liver and gallbladder and can help the body break down fats and lipids. It’s also an antioxidant that protects your cells from damage caused by the outside world. 

Orange Peel 

The peel of an orange contains a natural polyphenol, called tannin, that can help reduce blood pressure, break down fats, and is antimicrobial1. It also contains pectin that improves digestion and prevents constipation. 

Fennel Seed

This ingredient can reduce inflammation and has antiinflammatory properties. This soothes the digestive tract and can relax the intestinal muscles, helping relieve constipation. It’s antimicrobial properties can also rid your digestive system of bacteria that causes gassiness2

Oregon Grape Root 

Oregon grape root contains a plant compound called berberine that has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, and has been used in ancient Chinese medicine to treat psoriasis, heartburn, and stomach issues. This stimulates bile production. 

Prickly Ash Bark

Like gentian root, prickly ash bark is a digestive aid that increases saliva production and blood circulation stimulant. It also holds anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe your stomach lining3

Chamomile Flower 

Just like the tea that helps sooth you before bedtime, chamomile is a digestive aid that also helps relax your digestive tract. 

Balancing Flavors

Bitters are naturally unpleasant to the taste. This is a defense mechanism of your body’s will to survive. Your brain registers bitter taste as a warning sign that you might have ingested poison. It alerts the stomach which begins producing stomach acid, digestive enzymes, and bile so that it can begin to flush the potentially harmful substance out of your system. 

It’s a common practice to add aromatic herbs or spices to help curb the extreme bitterness. Have you ever wondered why restaurants offer mints at the end of your meal? They might be hinting that you have onion breath - but it’s also a helpful, natural way to relieve gas and indigestion4.

This is why we add spearmint and peppermint oil to our proprietary blend of bitters. That, and to lessen the bitter impact of all those helpful herbs. 

Extraction to Boost the Bitters

Much like we use apple cider vinegar to extract nutrients from bones to create our Broth Elixirs, we use vegetable glycerin as a solvent to extract the nutrients from our herbs. This non-toxic, non-irritant solvent pulls all the goods from the bittering agents, infuses the mixture with their compounds, and carries it into your system in the most efficient way.

Additionally, vegetable glycerin can help improve your digestive performance by drawing water into your gut. This is part of what encourages your digested food to move smoothly through your intestines.

The Benefits of Bitters

By combining all of these ingredients into one unique formula, the end result is our Calming Mint Spray. Just a few spritzes will increase your saliva, bile, and gastric juices so that your whole digestive system works in harmony to break down your food. 

This, in turn, means you’re getting the most nutrients out of your food. And, even more importantly, you get to enjoy your meals without the discomfort of an upset stomach. 

When you take our bitters with your meal you’ll experience:

  • Relief from bloating and stomach cramping
  • Improved digestion
  • Soothed digestive tract
  • Antimicrobial benefits
  • Immune support
  • Fresh breath

Heal Your Gut From The Inside

Great health is an inside job. When your gut is able to do its job properly, you feel the benefits in everything you do. From your energy levels to your skin health, an immune boost and a mood boost. Your gut is at the center of it all. Care for it and it will care for you.


Sources:

  1. Tannins and human health: a review - PubMed (nih.gov)
  2. Benefits of Fennel Seeds for Gas, Plus How to Use Them (healthline.com)
  3. [Comparative Study on Effects of Anti-Gastritis,Gastric Mucosal Protection and Gastrointestinal Movement Promotion of Root and Stem of Zanthoxylum nitidum] - PubMed (nih.gov)
  4. Early effects of peppermint oil on gastric emptying: a crossover study using a continuous real-time 13C breath test (BreathID system) - PubMed (nih.gov)