The range
ORIGINAL SWEDISH BITTERS RIVIERA
(Medicinal product)
ORIGINAL ELIXIR SWEDISH BITTERS
(Food supplement)
Original Swedish bitters Riviera
Riviera Original Swedish bitters is a traditional herbal remedy used for mild digestive problems such as bloating, wind and loss of appetite. The liquid extract is made up of 13 herbs, including dandelion root, walnut leaves, valerian root and many more. What’s more, the product is also sugar-free and contains 38 vol% alcohol These herbs have been used as part of tradition for centuries and preserved and consumed as far back as the Middle Ages.
In the centuries to follow, many scientists and doctors explored the healing properties of these herbs and developed various recipes, and it was ultimately the Swedish bitters that gained world recognition through Maria Treben and remain famous to this day. Riviera Original Swedish bitters is a traditional herbal remedy. It is registered to be used exclusively for the purposes specified in virtue of long-term use. For information about potential adverse effects, consult the package information leaflet, or a doctor or pharmacist.
Ancient tradition from the best nature has to offer – Original Swedish bitters
Original Elixir Swedish bitters
Elixir Original Swedish bitters is a quality product made from select herbs according to an age-old recipe and it improves your general feeling of well-being. Not only do the bitters from wormwood and gentian root create the product’s typical flavour, but they also help with bloating and are soothing after heavy meals, as well as stimulating the appetite and having an invigorating effect.
The other herbal extracts create a rounded flavour. The food supplement is sugar-free and contains 38 vol% alcohol Swedish bitters have been used as part of tradition for centuries and are still consumed as an aperitif or digestif today.
Before or after meals… a sense of well-being, just how I like it
How it works
Trust in a tried-and-tested recipe
ENERGISES
increases your general feeling of well-being
STIMULATES THE APPETITE
wormwood and gentian provide relief after meals
SOOTHES
say goodbye to bloating after heavy meals
REFRESHES
revitalising thanks to its typical flavour
NATURAL
quality product from 13 select herbs
VERSATILE
drink as an aperitif or digestif
Tips
Top tips and interesting facts about Original Swedish bitters and Elixir Swedish bitters
Why bitter substances are healthy
Due to our often sweet and salty diet, the body cannot absorb enough bitter substances, which are very important for health.
Swedish herbs: Also intended for the skin
Some are of the opinion that Swedish bitters or Swedish herbs are only intended for internal use. In fact, the Swedish herbs made into ointments or tinctures can also be used externally.
The strength of wormwood is the help of man
Wormwood is a medicinal plant that is native to the eastern Mediterranean. The essential oils of the herb, which contain a very high concentration of bitter substances, have been said to have high healing properties since ancient times.
About us
Riviera is known across Europe for manufacturing traditional herbal remedies, medicinal products, food supplements and phytocosmetics. Holzhacker rubbing alcohol and Original Swedish bitters are among the most successful branded products sold by Riviera.
The traditional company was founded in 1923 and is still family-owned. The principle laid down by the company’s founder Robert Schrenk is implemented today just as much as it was in the very beginning – manufacture products to the highest quality standards. And this is guaranteed thanks to innovative product research combined with quality controls.
History
Swedish bitters are a real success story – find out more here
1500
The Middle Ages
People preserved or candied herbs and consumed them to aid digestion as far back as the Middle Ages. In the 16th century, Paracelsus developed one of the first recipes of the mixed herbs in Salzburg. Over the course of his life, he published an array of medical literature and was known as the “Luther of Medicine”.
1618
1618–1648: 30-year-war
Applying Swedish bitters externally even came into play during the 30-year war, when Dr Claus Samst treated injured troops with an elixir made from the herbs. He drafted an old manuscript detailing 46 problems which could be treated by using Swedish bitters. This manuscript was only published after his death.
1692
1692 – A bitter remedy
Dr Urban Hjärne was a follower of Paracelsus and set up a laboratory in Kungsholmen where he developed recipes, including his Swedish bitters recipe which he sold in pharmacies in 1692 as “Elexir amarum Hjaerneri ad longum vitae” (translation: Bitter remedy by Hjärne for a long life). This recipe was recommended for gout, fever, colic, paralysis, coughs and swollen legs.
1980
1980 – Worldwide recognition
In 1980, Maria Treben published the book “Health from the Pharmacy” based on her personal experiences. Treben fell ill with abdominal typhus and was given a bottle filled with a strong smelling liquid from a stranger. She made a compress with the liquid and applied it to her stomach, regaining her health as a result. As a result of this experience, she made her own mixture of Swedish bitters and decided to help the general public. For example, she treated a young woman for pneumonia, restored a woman’s hearing and provided relief to a man’s intestinal cancer.
1981
1981 – Original Swedish bitters
Riviera Pharma & Cosmetics GmbH - formerly known as Robert Schrenk Production of Chemical and Cosmetic Products - first registered the name and logo for “Original Swedish bitters” (“Original Schwedenbitter”) as a trademark back in 1981. Since then, the bitters have been held in high regard by pharmacists and enjoyed tremendous popularity with customers. Riviera Original Swedish bitters is made from 13 select herbs which soothe the stomach and bowel, aid digestion and help with bloating.
