Not only do bay leaves taste good, but they are also good for you. The herb fights bacterial infections and improves everything from respiratory issues to heart health. Continue reading to find out the best ways to make bay leaf a part of your lifestyle.
The nutrient contents of bay leaves
- They are rich in vitamin C. 100 gram of bay leaves provides 46,5 mg of vitamin C that is the same as 77,5% of our RDA.
- Bay leaves are the source of vitamin A provides 6.185 IU (International Unit) or 206% of our daily intake.
- Contain folic acid. Every 100 gr of bay leaves provides 180 mg or 45% of our daily intake.
- Rich in minerals, such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, mangan, zinc, iron, selenium, and copper. Potassium is an important component of our cells and body liquid to control our heartbeat and blood pressure. Meanwhile, manga and copper are used for coenzyme factors.
1. Anxiety and fatigue
The combination of chemicals in bay leaf produces a calming, psychedelic effect when burned. All you need to do is light a couple of dried bay leaves in the same way one would incense. As you breathe in the vapors, you will fall into a relaxed, yet alert, state of mind. The best part of burning bay leaf is that it doesn’t make you sleepy, but instead wakes you up and banishes fatigue.
2. Respiratory system
Bay leaf is a stimulant for respiratory passages and can help dislodge phlegm and mucus in the lungs. The best way to heal your respiratory system with bay leaf is to inhale steam treated with the bay leaf in the form of fresh or dried leaves, or oil. You can also massage bay leaf oil onto your chest to treat allergies and asthma.
3. Dandruff
To treat dandruff, mix it with warmed jojoba oil. Massage the warm home treatment into your scalp, wrap your head in a towel and rest for 15 to 60 minutes. You can also add a few drops of bay leaf oil to your daily shampoo in order to fight dandruff.
4. Diabetes
An article jointly published by the NWFP Agricultural University in Peshawar, Pakistan, and the USDA Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center found bay leaf to be an effective treatment for people with type 2 diabetes. The study showed that consuming just 3 grams of bay leaf per day can decrease glucose levels.
5. Digestion
Cultures from the Mediterranean to East Asia that use alternative medicine believe in the heating and healing powers of bay leaf. Bay leaf boosts the “digestive fire.” Include bay leaf in your cooking or rub bay leaf oil on your stomach after eating to promote the secretion of digestive juices, enzymes and bile.
6. Heart health
An organic compound found in the bay leaf called caffeic acid is known to strengthen capillary walls in the heart. It also helps eliminate bad cholesterol from the cardiovascular system. Include the herb in your cooking.
7. Joint inflammation
A 2003 study published in Phytotherapy Research found the anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties of bay leaf essential oil have comparable effects as anti-inflammatory drugs like morphine on inflammation throughout the body. To relieve pain, rub bay leaf essential oil on sore joints and use the bay leaf as part of your regular diet.
8. Keeping Your Eyes Healthy
Bay leaves boiled water can be used to heal eye irritation and keep them healthy. We simply apply bay leaves boiled water to your irritating eyes routinely until they get better.
9. Reducing Cholesterol
Cholesterol is good for your body. However, excessive cholesterol brings you to meet bad effects. For discarding bad cholesterol, bay leaves are the best medicine. Prepare 10-15 pieces of bay leaves. Wash them and boil with 3 glasses of water until they become 1 glass of water. After it is cold, strain it amd drink it at once routinely at night.
10. Increasing Immunity
Mix either fresh and dried bay leaves in your cooking, such as meat, fish, rice, or vegetables to make your cooking smell good. The natural substances in bay leaves are beneficial for keeping you healthy and increase your body immunity.
11. Dental Care
Bay leaves are beneficial for keeping your teeth healthy and white. Dry fresh bay leaves and orange skin. Mash them and mix them with water until they become toothpaste. Those potions can be used for whitening your teeth.
3 Side Effects of Bay Leaves
Constipation
This side effect usually happens to people who consume bay leaves as their intense and massive medication. For example, high blood pressure patients. To overcome the problem, you can mix bay leaves with extracted grass jelly leaves. Drinking them together, your blood pressure levels down and the constipation effect can be avoided. However, if we put bay leaves in our food, we will not suffer from constipation. For one portion of vegetables, use only 1-2 pieces of bay leaves that are used for strengthening the food aroma.
Respiratory Effect
The substance in bay leaves is found to give a bad effect on asthma patients. Therefore, the experts suggest not to consume too many bay leaves. If you want to use bay leaves to overcome certain health problems, yet at the same time you are suffering from asthma, we are suggested to consult herbal experts or a doctor.
Expectant Mothers and Breastfeeding Mothers
Even though the side effect of bay leaves for expectant mothers have not yet been proven, the medical experts strongly advised expectant mothers and breastfeeding mothers not to consume bay leaves because of the allergic factors they contain. Bay leaves are believed to harm the fetus. Besides, they can also decrease the water milk quality so that they will bring negative effects to the baby, especially if the mother suffers from certain allergies.
Bay leaves are indeed brought marvelous benefits for your health. However, you have to make sure not to consume them a lot and in high intensity. Besides, when we use bay leaves for medication, you have to make sure they based on the procedure to avoid side effects.
