Bitter greens have played an important role in many cultural dietary traditions, generally used as the first course of a meal. Renowned double board-certified physician Dr. Amy Shah focuses on nutrition, gut health, and women's wellness; she gives a rundown of the extraordinary benefits of bitter greens such as arugula-especially the wild varieties, for digestion and all-around health.

Dr. Shah describes how the bitter compounds of arugula may provoke a natural reflex through bitter taste receptors not only on the tongue but also lining the stomach and intestines. These stimulate secretions of saliva, hydrochloric acid or HCl in the stomach, bile-and pancreatic enzymes. These synergistic secretions prime your digestive system for the meal ahead. Saliva initiates the digestive pr

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