6 Amazing Health Benefits of using Bay Leaf It is often said that smell of a dish fills half your tummy. And in an Indian dish there are various ingredients that conspire for that perfect taste and smell. Among these aromatic ingredients is oneBay leaf (tezpattā). Bay leaves are a fragrant leaf that comes from the laurel tree used as an herb. Available in either fresh, dried or ground into a powder, these leaves have a floral and herbal scent reminiscent of oregano and thyme. Grown in slightly warm climates, bay laurel plants are grown for ornamental use and dried and used in cooking. These thick and leathery leaves with pointed ends, leave a slightly stronger smell than fresh and hence most the recipes call for dried bay leaves.
Uses of Bay Leaf Bay leaves have been consistently in use for various dishes in various countries. Starting from Indians using it as an ingredient in garam masala; Greeks, Europeans, Americans, French and Italians among others, use it as a flavouring agent to many of their dishes. Apart from being used in cooking, bay leaf can also be used in a pantry to repel meal moths, flies, cockroaches, mice and silverfish. It is often used in entomology as the active ingredient in killing jars. In the jar under a layer of paper, the crushed, fresh, young leaves are put. These release vapours and it kills insects slowly but effectively.
Benefits of Bay Leaf Bay leaf is a nutrient-dense herb that has Vitamin A and C along with folic acid and various other minerals. Adding these to soups, curries, rice dishes or any other dish ensures a lot of health benefits that can’t be ignored. Here are sone of the benefits lined up: 1. Improves Digestion: Organic compounds found in bay leaves are said to have strong effects on the gastrointestinal system. This leaf helps the body in functioning well as well as decreases the toxicity of the body. At times, some complex proteins do not get digested easily, which is when bay leaf is considered as the rescue element that is effective for