What Hildegard Knew About Bitter Herbs

The rediscovery of an old European food culture  – 

and why bitter flavors used to be part of every meal.

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April 3, 2026, written by: Judith Wurm

Title

In this article, you will learn why bitter herbs have been an integral part of European cuisine for centuries, how the bitter taste has almost disappeared from our daily lives — and which classics of monastery medicine are worth rediscovering.

An old tradition

Bitter was once taken for granted.

 

Those who open old monastery manuscripts — such as the "Physica" of Hildegard of Bingen from the 12th century — find an astonishing number of bitter herbs and roots. Bitter plants were an integral part of European culinary culture for centuries: before meals as an aperitif, after meals as a digestif, in salads, tinctures, and liqueurs.

 

Throughout the 20th century, the bitter taste has almost disappeared from our everyday cooking. The modern food industry has worked for generations to breed out or mask bitter notes — the sweet and salty taste is on the rise.

But the bitter taste plays a special role

Over time, we have forgotten what a meal actually consists of — the change of flavors, the slow enjoyment, the conscious conclusion. In many cultures of Europe, a bitter drink after the meal was just as natural as bread with the meal itself.

Grandmothers would take a bitter digestif from the cupboard after Sunday dinner. In monasteries, bitter herbs were grown in the garden, dried, and made into infusions. The bitter taste was not a makeshift solution — it was part of a whole culinary culture that deserves more appreciation.

When the modern kitchen forgets the bitter taste

A cozy dinner with friends? Today often only sweet, salty, perhaps spicy — rarely bitter. A relaxed aperitif before the meal? Is replaced by a cocktail that is mainly sweet. Even the classic bitter salads — endives, chicory, dandelion, radicchio — are less frequently making their way onto our plates.

The bitter taste is an important part of a diverse diet. Those who consciously reintroduce bitterness discover a whole new dimension of eating — and a tradition that has been described in monastic manuscripts for centuries.

What are actually bitter substances?

Bitter compounds are a group of secondary plant substances that occur in many herbs, roots, leaves, and wild vegetables. They are responsible for the characteristic bitter taste that our grandparents were quite familiar with in the kitchen.

In the European tradition, bitter plants have been valued for centuries as essential components of cuisine and monastic medicine. Hildegard of Bingen dedicates numerous entries to them in her "Physica" — and in the Mediterranean monastic tradition (Carthusians, Benedictines), there are bitter liqueur and tincture recipes that have been passed down to this day.

Smaller portions

Be mindful and give your body time. Smaller meals, enjoyed slowly, are often more pleasant than a large feast that is quickly devoured. An old monastic rule says: Better to have a little often than a lot rarely.

2. Pause after eating

After a meal, the body is busy with processing. A short break, a quick walk, or a quiet moment on the sofa — all better than rushing through the day immediately. In many cultures, the "digestive break" after eating is a natural part of the day.

3. Conscious Chewing

Well-chewed bites are the foundation of a digestible meal. Try to chew each bite 20–30 times — a simple ritual that makes your meal more mindful and noticeably increases enjoyment.

4. Fresh, regional food

Seasonal ingredients, sourced locally, are the foundation of every traditional European culinary culture. What grew in the monastery garden was eaten — consciously and in harmony with the seasons.

5. Introduce again bitter

Endive, chicory, arugula, radicchio, dandelion salad — the bitter salad varieties are an easy way to make the bitter taste a part of your diet again.

6. Fresh herbs in everyday life

Parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano — fresh herbs make every meal livelier and are part of traditional monastery cuisine. A small herb garden on the windowsill is often enough.

7. Bitter substance drops as accompaniment

Bitter herb drops are a traditional way to integrate bitter plant extracts into daily life — either taken straight on a spoon, or added to water or tea. BitterKraft has been continuing this tradition since 1996, with formulations linked to European monastery medicine.

DISCOVER BITTER HERBS >

“Bitter herbs have been part of my evening routine for a few months now. The taste was initially something to get used to, but now I really like it — it has simply become a part of my meals.”