How to Make Herbal Bitters for Digestion

I’ve spent the past few years making some significant changes to improve my metabolic health and bring down my insulin levels. Along the way, I’ve discovered an old-fashioned herbal preparation that has become one of my favorite daily routines: homemade herbal bitters.

It amazes me how many simple practices were once common knowledge but have nearly disappeared from our kitchens.

For generations, people used bitter herbs before meals as part of their digestive routines. Today, most of us rarely encounter intensely bitter flavors, but there is some fascinating research taking place around bitter taste receptors and the role they play in our digestive systems.

I'm excited to show you how to make herbal bitters at home using gentian root, dandelion root, artichoke leaf, citrus peels and a handful of flavorful spices.

And if you're anything like me, you may discover that a splash of these bitters in sparkling water becomes one of your favorite ways to prepare for dinner.

Disclaimer: I'm not a medical professional. This recipe is provided for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult your healthcare professional before adding herbal preparations to your routine.

What Are Herbal Bitters?

Herbal bitters are concentrated extracts made by steeping bitter herbs, roots and other botanicals in a liquid, traditionally alcohol.

They combine intensely bitter ingredients, such as gentian root, with more aromatic herbs and spices to create a flavorful preparation that's generally used in small amounts.

Bitters have a long history in traditional herbal practices, especially for digestive complaints.

In fact, the European Medicines Agency recognizes gentian root as a traditional herbal medicine for mild digestive complaints and temporary loss of appetite, although it also notes that strong clinical evidence is lacking.

If you're just beginning to explore herbal remedies, I recommend learning how to make herbal tinctures. Understanding how different liquids extract compounds from plants is a wonderful foundation for creating your own herbal preparations.

Why I've Added Herbal Bitters to My Routine

Many of you know I've been on a journey to improve my metabolic health after discovering that my insulin levels were higher than they should be.

This hasn't involved just one change. I've spent time adjusting how I eat, including a period of following a ketogenic diet, and incorporating more strength training.

Along the way, I've also been learning more about traditional herbs and how they might fit into a healthy lifestyle. That's where herbal bitters caught my attention.

I've been encouraged by the changes I've seen in my lab results. My fasting insulin has come down significantly, and I've made bitters part of my regular routine.

But I want to be very clear: because I've made several changes, I can't attribute those improvements specifically to herbal bitters. And we don't yet have the human clinical research to say this homemade recipe treats insulin resistance.

What interests me is the growing body of research on bitter taste receptors and digestive signaling.

I love being able to combine old-fashioned herbal traditions with a better scientific understanding of what's happening inside our bodies.

How Do Herbal Bitters Work?

We don't typically think of bitter flavors as something desirable. We sweeten coffee, choose mild lettuce varieties and often avoid the stronger flavors found in wild greens.

But our bodies have specialized receptors designed to recognize bitter compounds.

Research has identified bitter taste receptors throughout the gastrointestinal tract, where certain bitter compounds can influence signaling pathways involving digestive hormones such as GLP-1.

GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide-1, is a naturally occurring hormone involved in appetite regulation, gastric emptying and insulin secretion.

That's particularly interesting to me because I've spent so much time trying to understand how my own body regulates insulin and blood sugar.

However, there is an important distinction between identifying these biological pathways and proving that drinking herbal bitters improves someone's blood sugar.

Human research examining bitter compounds and digestive hormone responses has produced mixed findings, and studies of individual compounds cannot automatically be applied to a homemade herbal tincture.

So, while the science is interesting, I think of my bitters as a traditional herbal preparation that I enjoy, rather than a treatment for blood sugar problems.

Herbs Used in My Homemade Digestive Bitters

One thing I love about making herbal preparations at home is learning what each ingredient contributes.

This recipe combines three strongly bitter herbs with citrus, warming spices and a little chamomile to balance the flavor.

Gentian Root

Gentian is the foundation of this recipe. If you've ever tasted gentian root by itself, you know exactly why we only need a small amount! It's intensely bitter and has a long history of use in digestive preparations.

The European Medicines Agency recognizes gentian root's traditional use for mild indigestion and temporary loss of appetite, but that recognition is based on historical use rather than conclusive clinical trials.

A little goes a long way in this recipe.

Dandelion Root

Dandelions are one of my favorite examples of how useful an ordinary backyard plant can be.

While most people think of them as weeds, they have a long history of culinary and traditional herbal use. Dandelion root brings an earthy, roasted flavor and additional bitterness to this recipe.

If you're interested in growing or gathering your own, I have an entire article on dandelion uses for the homestead.

Although dandelion has traditionally been used in herbal preparations associated with liver and digestive health, evidence that it improves liver function in humans is limited.

Artichoke Leaf

Artichoke leaf is another important ingredient in this blend. It's wonderfully bitter, and unlike some traditional herbal claims, we actually have human clinical research examining artichoke leaf extract for digestive symptoms.

One randomized, placebo-controlled study involving 247 people with functional dyspepsia found that a standardized artichoke leaf extract improved digestive symptoms more than placebo over six weeks.

A smaller human study also found increased bile secretion following administration of an artichoke leaf extract.

Artichoke leaf adds another layer of bitterness that pairs well with the gentian and dandelion.

Citrus Peel

This is where we start making the bitters taste good! I use orange peel as the primary citrus flavor, with a little lemon peel for brightness. Grapefruit peel is another option if you enjoy its distinct flavor.

The citrus helps balance the earthy, intensely bitter herbs and creates a much more enjoyable finished preparation. Because we're using the outer peel, I prefer organic citrus whenever possible.

You can use dried citrus peel or fresh zest, though dried peel makes it easier to prepare a consistent batch. If you want to preserve your own ingredients, follow my tutorial on how to dry herbs.

Important: Grapefruit can interact with certain medications. If you've been advised to avoid grapefruit, omit grapefruit peel and choose sparkling water without grapefruit juice.

Ginger

Ginger brings warmth to this recipe and pairs well with citrus. It's also one of my favorite ingredients to keep on hand for homemade herbal preparations.

In one randomized clinical trial, a supplement containing standardized ginger and artichoke extracts improved several digestive symptoms, including fullness, nausea and bloating, compared with placebo.

That doesn't mean our homemade recipe will produce the same effects, but it's interesting research behind two of the ingredients we're using.

For another way to incorporate ginger into your herbal preparations, try my herbal cold and flu tea recipe.

Cardamom and Fennel

These two spices are primarily here for flavor. Cardamom adds a sweet, floral aroma without requiring any added sugar, while fennel seeds contribute a mild, licorice-like flavor.

Both have long histories in traditional cooking and herbal preparations. I love how they soften the sharper flavors of the bitter roots without eliminating the bitterness we're intentionally creating.

Chamomile

Finally, I add just a pinch of dried chamomile flowers. Chamomile has a delicate floral taste that rounds out the stronger ingredients.

You don't need much, but I think it makes the finished bitters more pleasant.

Chamomile is also a great herb to explore when you're learning how to steep tea for medicinal purposes.

An Easier Way to Make Herbal Bitters

One of the things that almost kept me from sharing this recipe was the cost of purchasing all the different herbs.

You only need a small amount of certain ingredients, and I didn't love the idea of buying an entire bag of artichoke leaf or gentian root just to use a teaspoon or two.

So I talked with my friend CeAnne at Farmhouse Teas, and she put together a DIY Digestive Bitters Kit with the premeasured herbs, cheesecloth, dropper bottles and instructions.

If you already have a well-stocked apothecary, you can certainly make the recipe from scratch using the ingredients below.

But if you're starting out, I love having the option to buy exactly what I need without filling my pantry with extra ingredients I may not use again anytime soon.

Just follow the instructions included with the kit, as its herb quantities and alcohol measurements are different from my homemade recipe below. Then, when you're ready to make more, just order another single bag of the Herbal Bitters Tincture Mix.

Ingredients and Supplies Needed

Making your own herbal bitters is much easier than you might think. If you've made an herbal tincture before, the process will be very familiar.

You'll need the following ingredients and supplies. The exact measurements are included in the printable recipe card below.

Ingredients

• Gentian Root: This is the primary bitter herb in the recipe. A little goes a long way!
• Dandelion Root: Adds an earthy flavor and another layer of bitterness.
• Artichoke Leaf: A traditionally used bitter herb that complements the gentian and dandelion.
• Orange Peel: Balances the bitter herbs with a bright citrus flavor. Fresh or dried peel can be used, though dried is preferred for a more consistent preparation.
• Lemon Peel or Grapefruit Peel: Adds another layer of citrus flavor. If grapefruit interacts with your medications, leave it out.
• Ginger Root: Adds warmth and a little spice. I prefer dried ginger for this preparation.
• Cardamom: Adds a naturally sweet, floral aroma without adding sugar.
• Fennel Seeds: Bring a mild licorice flavor that helps balance the stronger herbs.
• Chamomile Flowers: Just a pinch adds a lovely floral note.
• 80-Proof Vodka: This is my preferred extracting liquid. An 80-proof vodka contains 40% alcohol by volume. There's no need to purchase anything expensive, but choose a plain, unflavored vodka.

Supplies

• Pint-Sized Mason Jar: A clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid for steeping the herbs.
• Measuring Spoons: For measuring the individual herbs and spices.
• Fine-Mesh Strainer or Cheesecloth: Used to separate the finished bitters from the herbs.
• Funnel: Makes transferring the finished bitters into smaller bottles much easier.
• Amber Glass Tincture Bottles: Dark glass dropper bottles help protect the finished preparation from light.
• Labels: Always label homemade herbal preparations with their contents and the date they were made.

Homesteading Hack: If you don't already have these herbs in your apothecary, purchasing every ingredient separately can get expensive. My friend CeAnne at Farmhouse Teas put together a DIY Digestive Bitters Kit that includes the pre-measured herbs and supplies. You can also purchase the digestive bitters herbal blend separately if you already have the supplies you need. Follow the preparation instructions included with whichever product you choose.

How to Make Herbal Bitters

One of my favorite things about this recipe is how little hands-on work it takes. Once the herbs are combined, the alcohol does most of the work for you.

You'll need about ten minutes to get everything into the jar, followed by approximately four weeks of steeping.

Step 1: Gather and Measure the Herbs

Start by gathering all your dried herbs, citrus peels and spices.

Measure each ingredient according to the recipe card below. I'm using gentian root, dandelion root and artichoke leaf as my bitter base, then adding citrus and aromatic spices to make the finished tincture more enjoyable.

Step 2: Combine the Ingredients

Place all your measured herbs, citrus peels and spices into a clean, dry pint-sized mason jar.

If you're using whole cardamom pods, crack them lightly before adding them to the jar.

You can adjust the flavor ingredients to suit your preferences, but I recommend following the measured recipe for the bitter herbs rather than adding extra gentian or artichoke leaf.

Step 3: Add the Vodka

Pour 80-proof vodka over the herbs until they're completely submerged.

Leave enough room for the dried herbs to expand as they absorb the liquid, and make sure there's enough alcohol to keep everything covered.

I use inexpensive, plain vodka for my tinctures. There's no reason to purchase a premium brand for a preparation like this.

For the most consistent results, stick with dried ingredients and the alcohol specified in the recipe.

Step 4: Seal and Shake the Jar

Place a tight-fitting lid on your mason jar and give everything a good shake.

This helps distribute the herbs and ensures they're thoroughly moistened by the vodka.

Label your jar with the name of the preparation, ingredients and date so you'll know when it's ready to strain.

Step 5: Allow the Herbs to Steep

Place the jar in a cool, dark location for approximately four weeks.

Give it a shake every day or two, and check occasionally to make sure the herbs remain submerged. If necessary, add a little more vodka to cover them.

As the herbs steep, you'll notice the liquid gradually becoming darker.

By the time the extraction is finished, it should have a deep brown color and a strong herbal aroma.

Step 6: Strain the Finished Bitters

After approximately four weeks, strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer or several layers of clean cheesecloth.

You can gently press the herbs to recover more of the liquid.

The finished bitters will be concentrated and intensely bitter, with the citrus and warming spices helping to balance the flavor.

Discard the spent herbs once you've finished straining.

Step 7: Bottle and Label

Using a small funnel, pour the strained bitters into clean amber glass dropper bottles.

Label each bottle with the name and preparation date.

Store the bottles tightly sealed in a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight and excessive heat.

Because homemade extracts vary in concentration and preparation conditions, they don't have a universally established shelf life. Don't assume the same storage times apply to vinegar- or glycerin-based extracts.

Step 8: Enjoy Your Homemade Herbal Bitters

My favorite way to enjoy these bitters is to add a small amount to a glass of citrus-flavored sparkling water.

I usually enjoy mine about 15 to 20 minutes before dinner. It's become a routine I look forward to, especially during the summer months.

You can also enjoy the bitter flavor directly, although I find sparkling water makes it much more pleasant!

Recipe note: The amount of finished liquid will vary depending on how much vodka is added and how much the herbs absorb. This is a home preparation, not a laboratory-standardized extract.