What Are Bay Leaves?
Bay leaves come from the bay laurel plant, an evergreen shrub that grows slowly in warm climates. The plants are grown for ornamental use and dried and used in cooking. The thick and leathery leaves are elongated with pointy ends. Most often, recipes call for dried bay leaves, which have a slightly stronger scent than fresh.
Many ladies add bay leaves to their foods, especially in the cooking of red meat and poultry. Many don’t know why bay leaves are added to food!
When a woman was asked why, she said, “to flavour the food”.
If you boil the bay leaves in a glass of water and taste it, it will have no flavour. So why do you put bay leaves in the meat or other food?
The addition of bay leaves to meat converts triglycerides to monounsaturated fats and, for experimentation and confirmation:
Cut a chicken into two halves, cook each half in a separate pan and place on one a bay leaf, and cook the other without a bay leaf. Observe the amount of fat in both pans after cooking!
If you have bay leaves and other natural health spices, there is no real need for a pharmacy, as recent scientific studies have shown that bay leaves have many benefits.
Benefits of Ba leaves
The benefits of bay leaf:
They –
▪Treat digestive disorders and help eliminate –
- Lumps
- Heartburn
- Acidity
- Constipation
Hot bay tea regulates bowel movements –
- lowers blood sugar
- is an antioxidant,
Additional uses are:
▪ By eating them, or by drinking bay tea for a month, the body is able to produce insulin
▪ Eliminates bad cholesterol and relieves the body of triglycerides.
▪ Useful in treating colds, flu and severe coughs, as it is a rich source of vitamin “C”.
▪ You can boil the leaves and inhale steam to get rid of phlegm and reduce the severity of coughs.
▪ Protects the heart from seizures and strokes, as they contain cardiovascular protective compounds.
▪ Rich in acids such as caffeic acid, quercetin, eigonol and bartolinide, substances that prevent the formation of cancer cells in the body.
▪ Helps eliminates insomnia and anxiety. If taken before bed, helps you relax and sleep peacefully.
▪ Drinking a cup of boiled bay leaves twice a day breaks down kidney stones and cures infections.
Storage
Fresh bay leaves can be placed in a sealed zip-top bag and stored in the refrigerator where they will last for a week or two. Dried bay leaves can be stored in a sealed container in a cool, dry, and dark spot, such as the spice cabinet or pantry; they will last up to two years before losing their aroma. You can also store the sealed dried bay leaves in the freezer, which will help the bay leaf retain its flavor and floral potency.
Disclaimer:
The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. SHS is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of SHS and SHS does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
