We tend to avoid bitterness, yet it may be one of the most useful flavors on the table. Bitter herbs like dandelion, gentian, and artichoke leaf have long been taken before meals to gently prepare the body to digest.
The idea is simple: the taste of bitterness encourages the natural rhythms of digestion to stir into action. A small bitter salad, a splash of herbal bitters in water, or a cup of dandelion tea before eating are all easy ways to invite a little more bitterness back in.