Buzz
Bitterness is one of the fundamental tastes we experience, and many bitter foods are actually good for our health. However, bitterness can sometimes be unpleasant, especially when a dish becomes overly bitter. Don’t worry, you’re in luck! There are several tricks and tips to balance out the bitterness and ensure you enjoy a tasty meal.
Steps
Balance bitterness with a bit of fat.
Fat naturally counters bitterness, making the dish easier to enjoy. That’s why people add milk or cream to coffee to reduce the bitterness. You can try using cream sauces, milk, full-fat cheese, olive oil, or similar fatty ingredients to cut down on the bitterness.
- This is a great tip to get kids to eat more bitter vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or cabbage. Add a little cheese or cheese sauce to the veggies, and they won’t even notice the bitterness anymore.
Balance bitterness with sweetness.
Who doesn’t love a touch of sweetness in their food? Taking coffee as an example – there's a reason we add sugar to coffee. Sweetness naturally overpowers bitterness. Try adding a pinch of sugar or a little honey to your bitter foods or drinks to enhance the flavor.
- The combination of sugar or chocolate with bitterness also creates a unique dessert flavor.
- Don’t overdo the sugar! The American Heart Association recommends that daily sugar intake should not exceed 25-36 grams to protect health, so be mindful not to exceed this limit.
Sprinkle a little salt on your food.
A pinch of salt can improve almost anything, even bitter dishes. The salty taste naturally balances out bitterness, so don’t hesitate to add a little salt to your overly bitter food.
- This is a great trick for bitter vegetables like broccoli or sautéed Brussels sprouts. You can toss the vegetables with a bit of olive oil and salt before cooking to bring out new flavors.
- As with sugar, keep an eye on your salt intake to maintain good health. The recommended daily salt intake limit is 2,300mg, or about ½ teaspoon.
Try using a pinch of baking soda.
It may sound a bit odd, but baking soda really works! Baking soda has high alkalinity, which can help neutralize overly bitter dishes. Try sprinkling a bit of baking soda on your food and mix it in to see if the bitterness reduces.
- This is a great tip if you find yourself using too many bitter ingredients while cooking. Add a pinch of baking soda before the dish finishes cooking to tone down the bitterness.
- Be careful not to use more than 1-2 pinches of baking soda! Too much will make your dish taste off.
Add a little vinegar or lemon juice to your dish.
The sourness of vinegar or lemon juice naturally balances out bitterness. Try squeezing a little fresh lemon or adding a spoonful of vinegar to your dish to counteract the bitterness.
- Pouring a tangy dressing is a great way to improve the bitterness in salads like kale, beetroot, or dandelion greens.
- If you accidentally add too much vinegar or lemon, a pinch of baking soda can help neutralize the sourness.
Throw in a bit of spice into your food.
Good news for spice lovers! Spiciness also overpowers bitterness, so don’t hesitate to use spicy ingredients. Add a little chili or chili powder while cooking, or sprinkle some on top of your dishes for an extra kick.
- Black pepper contains compounds that help neutralize bitterness.
- You can also try other spicy ingredients like cayenne pepper, red chili, bird's eye chili, and chili powder.
Cook with herbs to reduce bitterness.
Herbs can help distract from bitterness by activating other taste receptors. Add some basil, cilantro, sage, and rosemary to your dishes while cooking to enhance the flavor and reduce the bitterness.
- Add fresh herbs to stir-fries or roasted dishes for a fresh flavor boost.
- You can also use dried herbs like basil, ginger, and oregano. Dried herbs tend to have a more robust flavor than fresh ones.
Chill your food to reduce bitterness.
If you don’t mind cold food, this might be a great option for you. Cold food and drinks tend to be less bitter, which is why iced tea or iced coffee can be easier to drink. Try refrigerating your food before eating to see if the bitterness lessens.
- This is a great trick for bitter vegetables. You can refrigerate them for a few hours before eating.
- You can also combine this with other tips, like adding a bit of salt or fat to your dish.
Incorporate bitter ingredients into more complex dishes.
If you're unsure, just mask the bitterness in your dish. Make meals with a variety of ingredients, adding small amounts of the bitter ones. This method helps to conceal the bitterness while still retaining the health benefits of bitter foods.
- Non-bitter foods like beans, carrots, corn, eggplant, lettuce, and potatoes can be used to mask the bitterness in dishes containing bitter ingredients.
- This tip works great for salads. You can mix bitter ingredients like dandelion greens with more neutral ones like romaine lettuce. Use a lemon vinaigrette dressing to balance the bitterness.
Eat more bitter foods to get used to the taste.
You can train your body to enjoy certain foods. By consistently eating bitter foods, you'll gradually become less sensitive to the bitterness. It might not be easy at first, but over time, you'll notice a significant difference!
- This is a great trick, as other methods to reduce bitterness, like adding sugar or fat, aren't always the healthiest. It helps you enjoy bitter foods without needing to add extra ingredients.
Tips
- Don’t hesitate to experiment with different flavors! Try using various spices and herbs to find the perfect combination that neutralizes bitterness.
