No special dish or recipe will be complete without adding this wonderful spice called bay leaves. Since olden days, we are using these leaves in our food due to its digestive boosting, anti inflammatory and respiratory enhancing properties.
The best thing about the bay leaves is its smell while burning. You might have sensed particular herbal smell whenever you enter in a yoga class or meditation class. This is because many of these locations regularly practice smudging, that uses the smoke of some herbs to purify the room.
That herb is nothing but most probably bay leaves, like many other herbs and leaves bay leaves are also capable of relaxing our mind and body that help us to concentrate on particular thing we need to do.
Herbal Benefits Of Bay Leaves
Traditionally, bay leaves are used for its analgesic, anti consultant and anti inflammatory properties that lowers blood pressure and heart rate. This wonderful herb is often used to treat insomnia, chronic stress and to alter mood. It also contains powerful compounds called mycrene and eugenol that are used heavily in stress reduction therapy.
When you burn a bay leaf, the compounds become airborne. Once you inhale, they works perfect in reducing respiratory inflammation and prevent you from allergies and bad cold.
Scientifically, it has been proven that bay leaves are capable of reducing anxiety and respiratory problems due to its soothing properties.
How To Use Bay Leaves
Cooking is the
absolute way to enjoy all its benefits from this wonderful herb. Make
sure to remove the leaves before serving because they can be choking
hazard.
Instead, if you are not in a great mood to prepare food or if you are under high pressure with lot of stress just take a leaf and burn it in an aluminum baking tray and leave it for 10 minutes.
Just remember to close windows and doors while burning leaf and keep the tray away from anything that is flammable such as paper or wood and make sure not to burn it under smoke detector.
The smoke of the leaves will make your mind and body feel relaxed and you will find it easier to concentrate on one single task you want to do.