A Dhoni endorsement has revived the “bitter-first” theory, sparking debate over whether digestion-focused traditions can truly deliver modern weight-loss results
When MS Dhoni endorses a wellness product, it rarely stays within niche health circles. His recent association with bitter drops has revived an old dietary belief and pushed it into the mainstream: can starting a meal with something bitter actually help with weight loss, or is it another shortcut dressed up as tradition and science?
Back in the Spotlight
The conversation gathered pace after pharmaceutical executive and Shark Tank India judge Namitha Thapar launched ARTH Bitter Drops, positioning them as a natural aid to curb cravings, improve digestion and support weight management. While wellness influencers amplified the message, Dhoni’s endorsement gave the idea instant mass appeal.
Thapar traces the idea to Germany’s Lanserhof wellness spa in Munich, where bitter herbs are traditionally used to stimulate digestion. In India, the concept is hardly unfamiliar. Bengali meals often begin with shukto, a bitter vegetable medley believed to awaken the digestive system. Ayurveda has long recognised tikta rasa — the bitter taste — as a regulator of appetite and metabolism.
What Medicine Agrees On
“Bitters can stimulate saliva and digestive secretions, which may help some people feel more comfortable after meals,” says Dr B. Venkat Nani Kumar, consultant in internal medicine at Apollo Hospitals. “But weight loss is a complex metabolic process.
No single taste or supplement can override calorie balance, physical activity and overall diet quality.”
Most experts, he adds, agree that beginning a meal with vegetables—bitter or otherwise—can be beneficial. High-fibre foods promote satiety and help regulate blood sugar. “If bitter greens encourage people to eat more vegetables and fewer ultra-processed foods, that’s a positive behavioural shift,” he notes. The benefit, however, lies in the broader dietary pattern, not in bitterness alone.
That distinction is crucial, Dr Vijay Mohan, a senior physician at Kamineni Medical College & Hospital, emphasises. While the “bitter-first” idea has cultural roots and some physiological logic, it is no magic bullet. As the wellness industry forges ahead with celebrity-backed claims, science remains clear: sustainable weight loss depends on consistency, balanced nutrition and lifestyle changes—not on a few drops before dinner.
“The idea that ‘bitter is better’ is deeply rooted in Ayurveda and global traditions—bitterness stimulates digestive enzymes and appetite-related brain centres,” says Dr Vijay. Bitter compounds activate saliva, gastric juices and digestive enzymes, a principle behind Ayurvedic kashayams and traditional carminative mixtures. “They support digestion,” he adds. “They do not cause fat loss.”
The Behavioural Benefit
Namita Jain, nutritionist & wellness expert and author sees the trend less as a metabolic solution and more as a behavioural one. Beginning a meal with something bitter forces a pause — slowing the meal and increasing awareness. “Bitters can support digestion, but there is no medical evidence that they lead to sustained weight loss. Digestion is being quietly mistaken for weight loss — and the science simply doesn’t support that leap,” says Namita and adds, “Celebrity endorsements bring visibility, not validation — bitters may help, but they are no solution in a bottle.”
The Bottom Line
Doctors warn against bottling tradition into promises of transformation. In Indian cuisines, bitter foods were part of balanced, seasonal diets — not standalone solutions. Celebrity endorsements may bring visibility, but they do not replace evidence.
Bitterness may awaken the palate and prime digestion. But it does not rewrite metabolism. Sustainable weight loss still depends on consistency, balanced nutrition, movement and lifestyle — not a drop before dinner.
