We’ve all seen Bay leaves as an almost fancy ingredient in dishes. You may have seen them in Olive Garden dishes, had your mom prepare a meal with them, or seen them used in teas. There’s good reason for this since Bay leaves are an incredibly versatile and useful plant whether the purpose is medicinal or culinary. Here, we’ve thrown up a handy list on the health benefits of Bay leaves. Note that we are talking about the “true” Bay leaf, Laurus nobilis, and not every plant that people decide to call a Bay leaf.

1. It can alleviate joint inflammation

Joint inflammation, Arthritis being one kind, is never a good thing. It’s caused by an autoimmune response to your joints. This means your body thinks it needs to fight off an infection at the joints, and it can be incredibly uncomfortable and painful. According to a peer-reviewed study, rubbing dried Bay leaf essential oils on the joints alleviates the pain quite well. In fact, its effectiveness was comparable to using morphine.

2. You can fight your dandruff problem with Bay leaves

Every hair commercial talks about dandruff and how much no one wants to have it. They’re right on the mark. No one wants to see your nasty scalp powder falling on your shoulders, and you definitely don’t wanna see that on someone else either. Besides anti-dandruff shampoo, you can also try a handful of bay leaves in a liter of boiling water. Cover and let it steep and cool for about 20 minutes, and try leaving it in your hair for an hour before you rinse it off.

3. They can treat respiratory conditions

You’ll discover that most of Bay leaves’ specialties lie in respiratory treatment. One of them is an aromatherapy-like approach for phlegm trapped in the diaphragm. You can extract the essential oil of Bay leaves and mix it into a salve, apply it to the chest and wait overnight. Inhaling the scent and vapor can alleviate various respiratory conditions.

4. Helps calm you down during moments of anxiety

Thyme and Basil are usually the go-to sources for Linalool, a compound that’s known to lower the levels of your body’s stress hormones. But actually, Bay leaves also contain Linalool, and using Bay leaves in aromatherapy can produce a pretty strong calming effect too, which is useful for anyone living with anxiety. There is even a reference to the therapeutic properties of Bay leaves in Pokemon – the grass-type Pokemon, Bayleef, can produce an aromatherapy effect too using the leaves around its neck.

5. Diabetes dealt with

Just about 3 grams of bay leaves a day can reduce glucose levels by a fair amount, according to a study with a sample size of 42 people with type 2 diabetes. The reduction in glucose levels ranged from 21-26%, which is promising research for diabetics. Although an important disclaimer for anyone with diabetes: Always listen to any important medical advice from your doctor first.

6. Give your digestion some help

Based on the enzymes and compounds in Bay leaves, it’s been suggested that they can help treat upset stomachs and improper digestion. They can also work as a diuretic to facilitate urination, and also encourage the body to vomit, provided the chance that you may have consumed something toxic. Although note that more research is needed to truly corroborate the digestive benefits of Bay leaves.

7. They possess some interesting urinary benefits

In 2014, 5 scientists analyzed the ability of various traditional medicine plants to affect your urinary health. It was found that they could help with kidney stones, and also reduce the overall amount of urease in your body. Bay leaf was one of these plants.

8. They can go to work on your heart too

Your heart is incredibly important. You’ve only got one, and we’re always told to take good care of it. According to a 1971 paper (admittedly pretty long ago), Bay leaves contain Rutin, a compound known to strengthen capillary walls. The Caffeic acid that’s also found in bay leaves also has the benefit of removing harmful cholesterol from your blood. However, if you have any serious heart disease or problems, consult your doctor first.

Who would have known that such a humble leaf that we use in so many dishes is actually this useful? In fairness, people have been experimenting with the health benefits of natural ingredients for centuries. It was only a matter of time before we stumbled upon the many other uses of the Bay leaf besides cooking. So the next time you see a Bay leaf in your Olive Garden order, you’ll know it’s way more than just a soup ingredient.

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Source: [Online Library, National Library of Medicine]