so what are bay leaves
before we fully jump in and start talking about bay leaf tea it's really important to know exactly what we're talking about when we say bay leaves there are actually
a variety of different plants that have leaves referred to as bay leaves but don't be fooled
true bay leaf is none other than laurus nobilis the laurel tree and while other plants in the
lauraceae family have bay leaves it's the laurel bay otherwise known as sweet bay
that is supposed to have the highest nutritional content making bay leaf tea the most important
thing to know when you're making bay leaf tea is this it's dull.
yeah it's really kind of lame so if you want to enjoy the benefits of bay leaf tea it's always best to bring some other friends
to the party to help spruce up the flavor of that dough bay leaf tea for some it can be as simple
as adding lemon to three or four bay leaves but it's really even better if you mix it with other
herbs like peppermint rosemary lavender whatever floats your boat do people use that expression
anymore float your boat and make sure not to steep it longer than three to five minutes
otherwise it'll probably get bitter otherwise enjoy digestion benefits as far back as the time
of the ancient greeks and romans bay leaf tea was used to help with digestion and by most accounts
that is its primary benefit according to a 2019 report bay leaves give relief from abdominal pain
gastrointestinal infections flatulence bloating constipation and even diarrhea
the enzymes within bay leaves are particularly effective at dealing with things like bloating
and gas so if you're too tooting just a little too much bay leaf tea might be the answer for you
being a diuretic bay leaf tea also helps you relieve toxins from the body helping not only
the gastrointestinal system but your kidneys as well a 2014 study showed that bay leaf can also
help with kidney stones by reducing the amount of the evil bacteria known as eures respiratory
benefits speaking of bacteria according to the biological and pharmaceutical bulletin bay leaves
have great antibacterial properties which make it ideal for helping with coughs and colds bay
leafs primary respiratory benefits are believed to be strongest when using it as a poultice or cell
bay leaf tea also promotes sweating is this good well if you're wanting to break a fever open your
pores or just release some toxins yeah it can be great hair health dandruff or dry skin got
you down while there is a lack of scientific evidence for this there is a good amount of
anecdotal evidence asserting that bay leaf tea can help with dry skin or more specifically
dandruff the primary way of doing this is by making some bay leaf tea but this time don't
add anything else to it once it's cool you'll then rub the tea into your scalp once you're done
shampooing keeping that scalp healthy and avoiding dandruff antimicrobial and antioxidant properties
bay leaf contains about 80 helpful compounds for your health don't mind all the scientific
names they're great for you one study conducted at north carolina a t university showed how bay leaf
is helpful against the dreaded salmonella and e coli its massive antioxidants are also helpful for
fighting off diseases and boosting your immune system anti-inflammatory benefits bay leaves
contain a unique phytonutrient called parthenolide parthenolite can quickly reduce inflammation from
sore joints or arthritis while you can get benefits by drinking bay leaf tea it can
be even more effective by applying it directly to the affected area heart health bay leaves contain
rootin which strengthens capillary walls in the heart and in your limbs it also has caffeic acid
which can help eliminate bad cholesterol from your body no cholesterol that's a bad cholesterol
bad a study published in clinical biochemistry and nutrition found that 1 to 3 grams of
bay leaves consumed daily was associated with 26 percent lower cholesterol levels
research also indicates that bay leaf tea may help promote good cholesterol levels oh it's a
good little cholesterol that's right you're a little you're a good little cholesterol yes you
are the aforementioned bay leaf antioxidants are also great for your heart health
lowering risk of heart disease and strokes anxiety and stress benefits compound linalool
is most often associated with herbs like cilantro thyme and basil this compound helps lower stress
hormones in the body and luckily bay leaves have linalool too that's why we're talking about it now
it's currently believed that the strongest way to get the benefits of linoleum is by using it
as aromatherapy but don't knock the bay leaf tea it definitely can help you too diabetes benefits
research shows that taking one to three grams of bay leaf a day not only can help with
cholesterol levels but blood sugar levels too at the moment with more research needing to be done
all that researchers want to say right now is that bay leaf tea can help reduce the risk factors of
type 2 diabetes but alas it doesn't necessarily stop it in its tracks cancer benefits there
is some compelling research that shows how bay leaf can help fight against breast cancer so far
studies have shown how it is helpful at killing cancer cells by aiding apoptosis a pop my Tardis?
in addition research published in nutrition and cancer suggests that bay leaf can help with rectal
cancer as well other bay leaf benefits while it'd be great to just sip bay leaf tea all day long
and get some wonderful benefits other benefits are much better when applying it directly to the skin
or adjusting it in other ways these other benefits include anti-fungal properties like stopping
candida wound healing capabilities stopping boils and even helping with epilepsy seizures
side effects as i've mentioned earlier bay leaf is commonly associated with other types of plants
however if you want to get the benefits i've just listed you want to get some true bay leaf which is
derived from the laurel tree other varieties like mountain or cherry laurel can actually be toxic so
be certain that you're consuming the real laurel bay leaf luckily bay leaf isn't widely known as
an allergenic substance but contact dermatitis and eczema breakouts have been sporadically reported
some people may experience rashes an itchy mouth or a swollen tongue so if you get any of these
sadly bay leaf isn't your buddy best try out another herbal tea to make you happy though bear
in mind if you're allergic to other members of the lauraceae family there is a chance you're likely
to be allergic to bay leaves as well bay leaf may also slow down your central nervous system
so if you're going in for a surgery it's suggested not to have bay leaf or bay leaf tea before doing
so as it can mess with the anesthesia or other medications beyond that having bay leaf as a tea
is considered very safe when taken in normal amounts if you want to swallow the whole leaf
though that's another story as bay leaves tend to stay intact in your digestive system and can
become lodged in or even break the lining of your throat or intestines well what do you know i have
been eating spaghetti for decades and didn't know that's the reason i'm supposed to remove my bay
leaves from the spaghetti well there you go the more you know have you tried bee leaf tea before
if so do you mix it with anything to make it more palatable let me know in the comments down below
if you want to learn more about the benefits of other teas then watch either of these fine videos right here
please be kind take care of each other i'm going to head off and get a nice tasty tea
you got some bay leaves i can borrow and i'm out