Bitter is the flavor of Fire. Just like the Fire element, the flavor Bitter stimulates the upward movement of Qi and Blood to the chest and Heart. Therefore the flavor Bitter guides energy to the Heart. Bitter is found in foods that are used more like potent medicines such as foods with alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids. These medicinal foods can help support the circulatory and nervous system better.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Heart is related to the emotion Joy and taking Bitter flavor foods more can help invigorate the feeling of Joy in the body. This is the reason Bitter foods are good for healing issues of the Heart such as grief, sadness, depression, psychopathic illnesses.

The flavor Bitter is also draining and drying to the body. This means it can drain dampness and bring harmony to the Fire element of the body by sedating excess heat and resolving constrained toxins that can damage the Blood and Heart. Therefore Bitter foods can help prevent cholesterol, fatty liver, cancer and illnesses that involve toxins and dampness accumulation.

Some of the examples of herbs that have the flavor of Bitter are Gentiana scabra, Coptis, Oregon grape root.

Some of the examples of foods that have the flavor of Bitter are bitter gourd, Dandelion greens, coffee, cocao.

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Further Reading:

Everything you need to know about Acupuncture

TCM Wellness Women’s Health

TCM Wellness Nervous System Disorders Management

TCM Wellness Digestive Health

Acupuncture Slimming

TCM Pain Management

Everything you need to know about Dampness

Weight Gain from Digestion Induced Dampness