Bay leaf, Calories, benefits and harms

general description

Bay leaf call the leaves of the “noble laurel”,
belonging to the Lavrov family. Countries are considered his homeland
Asia Minor and the Mediterranean. This is one of the most ancient spices
that the person uses.

The essential oil obtained from bay leaves is used in the production of
alcoholic
drinks and confectionery. Bay leaf is also used
in medicine, in the chemical industry, used as a raw material for
obtaining cineole and camphor.

Winners of the competition were crowned with wreaths of laurel branches and leaves
and heroes of campaigns and wars in the Roman Empire and Ancient Greece, and the tree
laurel was sacred to them. In the Middle Ages, laurel was a symbol of good
and was considered a protector from lightning and evil. The word “laureate” occurs
from “laurel”, which literally means “crowned with laurels.”

At the present time, laurel grows in almost all countries,
which are climatically suitable for cultivation. This is Turkey, Greece,
Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Caucasian countries, Albania,
Guatemala, Crimea peninsula.

How to choose

The bay leaf should be dark green in color, without any
stains on the surface. A quality bay leaf has not only
good appearance, but also a pleasant, rather strong, aroma. Everything
the beneficial properties of bay leaves are preserved both fresh and
and dry. Dry bay leaves are best placed in an airtight
capacity for longer preservation of aroma. In this way,
the sheet can be stored for more than 2 months.

In cooking

In cooking, one of the most common seasonings is considered
Bay leaf. Dried and ground bay leaves, and
its seeds are used much more often than fresh.

In 1652, the personal chef of Marie de Medici François Pierre de la Varenpe
in his world famous cookbook noted that laurel is capable of
improve and tweak the taste of almost all dishes and recommended
add it to puddings and desserts.

Bay leaves are used in sauces, marinades, soups, broths,
when cooking fish
and meat, and
also salty and sour dishes. It is indispensable for preserving tomatoes,
cucumbers, squash, cabbage, zucchini, beets. Gives good
taste and excellent aroma for various sauces, goulash, jelly.

Nutritional value per 100 grams:

Proteins, g Fats, g Carbohydrates, g Ash, g Water, g Calorie content, kcal 7,6 8,4 48,7 0,01 0,1 313

Useful properties of bay leaves

Composition and presence of nutrients

Bay leaves are of great nutritional value and include
proteins, fats and carbohydrates, essential oils, dietary fiber, vitamins
groups B, C,
A,
RR,
as well as micro- and macroelements: sodium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, copper,
iron, selenium, manganese and phosphorus.

Useful and healing properties

Famous healers of antiquity used bay leaves
as a miracle cure for a large number of diseases.
According to Hippocrates, laurel oil helps with cramps, and laurel
he advised the sheets to be used to reduce painful sensations
at delivery. Avicenna believed that bay leaf helps
for joint pain, nervous tension, shortness of breath, and seeds and bark
laurel are indispensable for urolithiasis and cholecystitis.

And at the present time, laurel is widely used in folk medicine.
It is used to enhance appetite, improve digestion, relieve
swelling, lowering blood pressure, in the treatment of rheumatoid
arthritis
and arthrosis, increase immunity, to suppress tubercle bacillus.

Laurel has a stimulating, astringent, diuretic, antifungal
and antibacterial action, used as a preventive measure
and actually for the treatment of fever, stomatitis, nervous disorders,
colic, aminorrhea, and also as an emetic and diaphoretic.

The essential oil obtained from fruits, flowers and leaves is
excellent insecticidal and disinfectant, used
in the treatment of bruises and sprains, is part of the antiseptic
soap and some ointments.

Also bay leaves are used in the treatment of cancer patients. For example,
for the treatment of throat cancer, the following tincture is used: a glass of ground
bay leaves pour 500 ml of vodka and insist for two
weeks, and then filter. Take three times a day in the dining room
spoon 30 minutes before meals.

They also make a very effective infusion for patients from bay leaves.
diabetes. To do this, you need 10 bay leaves pour 750 ml of boiling water
and leave for about 2-3 hours, then strain. It is recommended to take the infusion
every day, 100 ml.

If there are joint problems,
then such a decoction is almost irreplaceable: 5 g of laurel leaves
pour 300 g of water and bring to a boil, boil for
5 minutes, and then insist in a thermos for about 4-5 hours and filter.
The broth should be drunk in small sips throughout the day, drink
all the broth at once is impossible. Uterine bleeding may open in women.
It is recommended to drink this broth for 3 days, then make
a week break and repeat the course of treatment.

Use in cosmetology

In so-called home medicine, bay leaves are used to
making masks and tonics for the face and hair.
For example, toning lotion for the face and neck is very effective in
acne, boils, age spots. For making lotion
need 25 bay leaves, pour half a glass of water, boil
about 5 minutes and leave for about 4 hours. With this lotion, beauticians
it is recommended to wipe the skin of the face and neck every day – morning and evening.
Owners of oily skin are advised to add vodka to the lotion, not
more than 1 dessert spoon
If this lotion is used regularly, the effect will be noticeable.
in just a few days: the pores will shrink, the skin will become matte and smooth.

To get rid of dandruff, you need to rinse your head with a decoction of laurel
sheet. It is quite simple to prepare. Fill a pack of bay leaves
(30 g) 1 liter of boiling water and leave for about 2 hours, then strain.
After rinsing with such a decoction, it is advisable to let the hair dry.
without the use of heat.

Dangerous properties of bay leaves

Bay leaf is undesirable:

  • during pregnancy and breastfeeding, with menopause;
  • during an exacerbation of kidney disease,
    liver, cardiovascular system;
  • with ulcers of the duodenum and stomach;
  • people prone to allergic reactions.
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Anna Evans

Author ✓ Farmer

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