Our vision here at Casc is to reintroduce bitter flavors into the diets of millions of Americans suffering from digestive distress.

Our mission is to Bring Bitter Back into our modern diets, providing natural, effective solutions for digestive health. We are dedicated to educating our customers about gentle, ancestral approaches to digestive wellness, empowering them to make informed choices that restore balance and vitality to their lives. 

Bitter flavors have been part of every culture’s ancestral cuisine for centuries, until now, when ultra processed food and food science has phased ‘bitter’ out of our palette.

Meanwhile, rates of chronic digestive conditions like IBS, SIBO, Crohn’s Disease, Diverticulitis, GERD/Acid Reflux, Ulcerative Colitis, chronic bloating, gas,constipation, and food intolerances are on the rise. There are many factors that drive these conditions, but a critical (yet underappreciated) factor is low stomach acid.

Proper levels of stomach acid are essential, of course, for breaking down food in the stomach, but also neutralizing harmful pathogens like bacteria and yeast before they enter the small intestine, for closing the esophageal sphincter to protect the esophagus from low pH, and for stimulating digestive organ motility.

Many consumers are misled and miseducated about stomach acid.

Oftentimes antacids like proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are prescribed when a patient complains of pain or burning in the chest after eating, under the assumption that their stomach acid may be too high and causing reflux and pain.

But frequently, their stomach acid is actually too low, which prevents the esophageal sphincter from fully closing and allows stomach contents to reflux into the esophagus, causing a similar set of symptoms.

In these cases, antacids are more harmful and what the patient actually needs is support in increasing their stomach acid and overall gastric functioning. 

This is where we can harness the healing powers of bitter flavors. Interestingly, our bodies have chemical receptors that sense bitterness in our food.

When activated, those receptors on the tongue cue the parietal cells in your stomach to begin producing acid. Plus, similar bitter receptors are present throughout the small intestine, and studies show them to play roles in digestion and immunity. 

For these reasons, our ancestors’ body wisdom led them to consume bitter foods. These are the reasons that families in India have a first course of bitter foods like teetaphool and bitter melon, or Italians sip on a bitter aperitivo before a pasta supper.

The Standard American Diet has no such bitter element, and our bodies are paying the price. 

Our Mission

At Casc Tonics, we believe in the power of ancient tradition and simple solutions to the gut issues of our time. Our Daily Bitter can be dropped right onto your tongue or into your water before a meal to get all the benefits of strong stomach acid and digestive motility. Try incorporating our bitters into your daily routine and experience the difference they can make for your gut health.

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