Guest article by Karina Nouman
Karina Nouman is a certified practitioner of Traditional European Medicine (TEM) and a true herbal expert. On her Instagram channel @fräuleingrünblog, she takes us into the world of wild herbs, sharing delicious recipes and valuable tips about nature's tasty treasures, which grow right on our doorsteps and in native forests. She has also written several books and offers a variety of herbal courses, also online at fräuleingrün.at (german only). As big fans of wild herbs ourselves at myBioma and because their valuable nutrients are a wonderful support for our gut microbiome we invited Karina to create a recipe for us. We hope you enjoy trying it out and savouring it!
This recipe was created by wild herb expert Karina.
An aperitif for the gut: bitter tonic with wild herbs
One step outside our front door and our intestines would rejoice: out there, bitter wild herbs await that can give it exactly the support it needs. From yarrow and hops to ground ivy, wormwood and dandelion – they all have one thing in common: they get our digestive juices flowing.
Salty, sweet and sour … but what about bitter? This flavour has largely disappeared from our modern diet, which is a real loss. Because as soon as our taste receptors detect bitterness, a whole cascade of beneficial processes is triggered in the body.
With the bitter taste, everything starts to flow. The vagus nerve our so-called “rest and digest” nerve is activated and signals that digestion is about to begin to the body. Once stimulated, for example by bitter substances, it sends signals to the stomach and intestines to get to work.
This means that nutrients are better absorbed and utilised, while unusable substances are more easily excreted, a sign of a healthy digestive process.
That’s why it makes sense to give the body a bitter nudge before eating something heavy or difficult to digest. It would be even better to regularly incorporate bitter foods into your daily routine. However, this has become increasingly difficult, as many vegetables such as cauliflower, carrots or bitter lettuces have been bred to taste milder and now contain far fewer bitter compounds.
Luckily, nature offers a solution: wild herbs. They can be used to make a wonderful alcohol-free aperitif ideally with unpasteurised apple cider vinegar, which also supports the gut thanks to its probiotic bacteria.
Wild herbs and apple cider vinegar come together to create a bitter tonic that supports your digestion and promotes gut health.
Ingredients for the herbal vinegar
- 500 ml jar
- 400 ml unpasteurised apple cider vinegar
- Fresh wild herbs such as yarrow, dandelion and ground ivy
Preparation
After gathering the wild herbs, briefly rinse them with cold water. Then roughly chop them and loosely fill the jar halfway with equal portions of the herbs.
Then fill the jar with apple cider vinegar up to the brim. Let the jar stand uncovered in a cool, dark place for 48 hours, stirring regularly. Only after two days should you close the lid. Let the herb-infused vinegar steep for at least two weeks. Shake occasionally, if you remember. Once steeped, strain and enjoy!
Put fresh wild herbs in a glass, fill with apple cider vinegar, let it steep - and the gut-healthy wild herb drink is ready!
How to enjoy the wild herb bitter vinegar
Your gut will thank you for every supportive sip:
The classic: A dash of bitter vinegar in lukewarm water
Especially in the morning, this activates the metabolism and gets the intestines moving due to the bitter substances.
Wild herb vinegar as a pre-meal aperitif
A tablespoon of the bitter tonic in a glass of sparkling mineral water, with a dash of strawberry juice – a refreshing way to start any summer meal, especially when it’s on the hearty side. For those who prefer it sweeter, simply stir in a spoonful of honey. Also perfect for treating your guests!
For a delicious aperitif, the wild herb vinegar is served with sparkling water and strawberry juice.
Note: When collecting wild herbs yourself, it is essential to be able to identify them with 100% certainty. If in doubt, please consult an expert.
You can find even more delicious, gut-healthy recipes, as well as interesting facts about healthy nutrition and how to support your gut microbiome and digestion, in our recipes e-book "Microbiome Food."
