Centaury

Bitter herbs or bitter tasting foods used to form a significant part of the diet, which helped to promote good digestion.

Centaurium has a bitter taste and owes this property to the group of compounds called bitter glycosides. The taste of bitter foods stimulates the appetite and triggers the secretion of digestive juices in the stomach, which in turn improves the breakdown of food. At the same time, the hormone gastrin is secreted by the walls of the stomach. This tightens the valve between the oesophagus and stomach, which is important in reducing the symptoms associated with a hiatus hernia, such as gastric reflux.

No restrictions on use are known. In the use of bitter herbs, the bitter taste is essential to their therapeutic action, so do not attempt to disguise the taste.