10 Most BITTER Foods That People Avoid BADLY But Are Good For The Body
While it’s common for people to avoid bitter-tasting foods, these unattractive flavours are often a sign of a food’ s potent health benefits. Many of the most bitter foods are packed with antioxidants compounds and other nutrients that can have profound positive impacts on our health. In this article, we’ II explore some of the most bitter foods that people tend to avoid but that are actually good for the body.
Kale
Kale is an extremely nutritious leafy green that is high in vitamins A, C and K, as well as minerals like calcium and iron. However, it has a naturally bitter taste that many people find unattractive. The bitterness comes from the high amounts of glucosinolates, which are beneficial plant compounds that have antioxidant and anti- inflammatory effects in the body. Mustard Greens
Mustard greens are packed with vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds, but have a very bitter and peppery flavour that can be unattractive. The bitterness comes from glucosinolates and isothiocyanates, which have been shown to have cancer- fighting properties.
Collard Greens
Collard greens are another highly nutritious leafy green that contain glucosinolates and other bitter compounds. While the bitterness can be strong, collard greens also have a slightly sweet and earthy flavor that many people come to enjoy.
Broccoli
Broccoli is well-known for its health benefits, but the bitter taste of the vegetable, especially when raw, comes from the glucosinolates. These compounds have been linked to
reduced risk of certain cancers. Dandelion Greens Dandelion greens are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, but their extremely
bitter taste is a major turnoff for many people. The bitterness comes from the plant’ s high content of lactucin and lactucopicrin.
Grapefruit
Grapefruits have a very distinctive, bitter- sour flavor due to it high content of naringin, a bitter flavonoid compound. While the bitterness can be unpleasant for some, grapefruits are an excellent source of vitamin C and other beneficial nutrients. Turmeric
The main active compound in turmeric, curcumin, gives the spice its bitter, earthy taste. However, curcumin is also responsible for turmeric’s potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Melon Bitter
Also known as bitter melon, this gourd-like vegetable has an extremely bitter, almost unpalatable taste. However, it is incredibly high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and has been used in traditional medicine to help regulate blood sugar levels.
Radishes
Radishes have a distinctive peppery and slightly bitter taste that comes from the isothiocyanates they contain. These compounds give radishes their health benefits, including anti-cancer and antimicrobial properties.
Dark Chocolate While not as bitter as the previous foods, dark chocolate(with a high cocoa content) does have a more bitter and less sweet taste than milk chocolate.
The bitterness comes from the polyphenol antioxidants in cocoa, which provide numerous cardiovascular and cognitive benefits.
