Digestive bitters can be especially helpful during the holidays, when large celebratory feasts are the norm and you need a little something to help your digestion. Bitter tastes are great (assuming you enjoy bitter tastes) and have been used for centuries to support digestion, soothe the GI tract, and help with cramps, bloating, or gas. pain helps signals to your taste buds Creating saliva to start the digestive process, such as bitter cocktails or snacks Negroni It can help speed up digestion when consumed before a meal.

Most digestive bitters are concentrated mixtures of different herbs, roots, and barks, such as dandelion root, ginger root, gentian root, and burdock root. Some may also contain flavor-enhancing ingredients such as orange peel or hawthorn berry. While almost anyone can use bitters to support digestion, there are specific symptoms such as bloating, gas, and low stomach acid levels. can guide a doctor to recommend them.

Most bitters come either as a small spray bottle or with an eyedropper. Most offer the option of applying it directly to your tongue or adding it to a neutral beverage 15 minutes before a meal to optimize effectiveness, but they can also be taken after a meal if you forget to take them.

Below are a few of our favorite digestive bitters and how we prefer to use them, as well as a few ready-to-drink canned, non-alcoholic snacks.

Our favorite digestive bitters:

I love the taste of digestive bitters, but I especially love that Owl Venice adds peppermint and peppermint essential oils for a calming peppermint spray. In addition to aiding digestion and soothing an upset stomach, it doesn’t hurt to freshen your breath before or after a meal. It couldn’t be easier to use either; Even just three quick sprays in your mouth can go a long way.

This aperitif-inspired herbal tincture is my go-to when I want to make a pre-meal drink that also aids digestion. The tincture comes with a dropper rather than a spray pump, and the instructions recommend placing one full dropper under your tongue before a meal or in sparkling water for a zero-proof, orange-colored drink (my preferred method).

Products formulated by Anima Mundi’s herbalists always deliver, and Amargo digestive bitters are no exception. This tincture has the usual suspects, but also includes rainforest bitter leaves like Chanca Piedra and barks like quassia (also known as amargo). It also promises to stimulate bile production and revitalize liver function, aiding in detoxification of the body. The brand recommends taking 50 drops (or ½ teaspoon) in water, juice, or tea before meals.

Urban Moonshine has a full range of bitters: healthy liver with added citrus, artichoke and fenugreek, soothing tummy with chamomile and ginger, and an apple cider vinegar variety made without alcohol. The original formula worked for me and was the first digestive bitters blend I’ve ever tried. As for traditional bitters, which contain the usual bitter herbs and aromatic ingredients, they are as good as it gets and can be taken directly on the tongue or diluted with water.

If you want all the benefits of digestive bitters but don’t like the taste, Zoey’s Digestif is specifically cinnamon-flavored and naturally sweet. The tincture contains ginger and orange peel, but also draws on the power of cinnamon, cardamom pods and hawthorn fruit. I find this goes best in hot water or tea, especially for a warm digestive.

Chances are, if you’ve done any research in the field of herbs, whether by listening to a podcast or doing a quick Google search, you’ve come across Organic Olivia. The brand offers a modern approach to traditional herbal medicine and its founder shares his knowledge on his podcast What is Fruit Juice?. The juice in question here is the brand’s bitters in spray bottle format called Digestive Juice, which can support digestion with 6-10 sprays before and after meals. The formula includes some of Olivia’s favorite herbs, like angelica, to ignite our fire and support slow digestion.

BA’s trade editor Carina Finn loves the Alpine-inspired herbal flavor of Underberg’s bitters, a remedy for post-feast ailments in her former life as a restaurant critic. “It tastes like Fernet, and the single-serve bottles are small enough to throw in your bag for a night out or visiting the in-laws,” she says.

Some ready-to-drink digestifs:

Hella Cocktail Co. has eliminated the work of making bitters and soda with its line of non-alcoholic ready-to-drink cans. They offer the Hella Aromatic Bitters mix in three flavors – bittersweet spritz, dry aromatic and grapefruit (my preference) – so there’s something for every drinker. I love that these allow me to enjoy a cold canned beverage while boosting my digestion before a meal.

It’s no secret to anyone that I love Ghia’s canned spritzes. They often pop up when I’m cooking at home and want a special drink while I put on a podcast and blow off the stress of the day. All four flavors (Ghia Soda, Ghia Ginger, Lime & Salt, and Sumac & Cayenne) contain herbs and botanicals like lemon balm, gentian root, orange peel, as well as individual flavorings for each flavor. Each can is inherently indulgent, like any snack, and it doesn’t hurt that they really help settle my stomach and relax me.

I would buy Casamara Club’s leisure sodas just for the bold graphic packaging. I was particularly excited to try the newest product addition, Superclasico, a cocktail-like non-alcoholic drink that feels like a bittersweet Italian aperitif. It draws influence from Italian chinotto and spices such as juniper, allspice and cloves. It’s bold but goes down easy enough to find a spot in your weekday rotation.