Swedish bitters
{{Short description|Bitter herb in Sweden and Austria}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
Swedish bitters, also called Swedish tincture, is a bitter and a traditional herbal tonic, the use of which dates back to the 15th century.{{in lang|fr}} Maria Treben, [http://www.pdfarchive.info/pdf/T/Tr/Treben_Maria_-_La_Sante_a_la_pharmacie_du_Bon_Dieu.pdf La Santé à la pharmacie du bon Dieu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508194500/http://www.pdfarchive.info/pdf/T/Tr/Treben_Maria_-_La_Sante_a_la_pharmacie_du_Bon_Dieu.pdf |date=8 May 2016 }} (original title: Gesundheit aus der Apotheke Gottes - Ratschläge und Erfahrungen mit Heilkräutern). Ed. Wilhelm Ennsthaler (http://www.ennsthaler.at/), Austria. {{ISBN|3-85068-123-8}}. First edition : 1983.
Origins
Swedish bitters is said to have been formulated in a similar way to ancient bitters by Paracelsus and rediscovered by 18th century Swedish medics Dr. Klaus Samst and Dr. Urban Hjärne, though this appears to be mistaking the latter for his son, Kristian Henrik Hjärne, who himself invented a bitter.{{in lang|de}} [http://www.schwedenbitter.de/herkunft_von_schwedenbitter.php Origin of Swedish bitters] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427045559/http://www.schwedenbitter.de/herkunft_von_schwedenbitter.php |date=27 April 2014 }} "Herkunft des Schwedenbitters".
In modern times, Swedish bitters have been popularized by Maria Treben, an Austrian herbalist. The tonic is claimed to cure a large number of ailments, and to aid digestion. These claims are presented with little in the way of scientific evidence to support them, though empirical evidence provides for a very large database of positive results.{{better source needed|date=November 2018}}
Components
The alcoholic Swedish bitters is purported to have a similar flavor to Angostura bitters, though perhaps drier. Nowadays, it is more common to prepare Swedish bitters from a dry herbs mixture
Ingredients
The following herbs are added to alcohol to make Swedish bitters:
- aloe as active ingredient
- water extract of the following herbs:
- angelica root (Angelica archangelica)
- camphor (Cinnamomum camphora)
- carline thistle root (Carlina acaulis)
- manna (Fraxinus ornus)
- myrrh
- rhubarb root (Rheum palmatum)
- saffron
- senna (Senna alexandrina)
- theriac venetian (theriac) (a mixture of many herbs and other substances)
- zedoary root (Curcuma zedoaria)
There are variations on this recipe and herbal shops supply alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions of the drink.[http://www.schwedenbitter.de/zusammensetzung_schwedenbitter.php Ingredients of the original Swedish bitters] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427183025/http://www.schwedenbitter.de/zusammensetzung_schwedenbitter.php |date=27 April 2014 }} ″Zusammensetzung des Original Schwedenbitters″, german.
Maria Treben's book contains nine pages on this bitter, with a description of many ailments and their cures.