The Bay leaf in Malayalam has the same amount of usage, but it will come with a different name; you will also encounter different names for the ingredient in other regions of india. Here in this article, we are going to look at Bay leaf and how this ingredient helps the dish to make it better without ruining its taste.
Bay leaf is one of the many side ingredients that are used in many dishes found in many Indian households; taking a closer look at the local market will easily help you see how popular Bay leaf is in the local area.
The quality of the Bay leaf is going to be the same as found in the local market; almost all types of bay leaf are going to share the same structure and types. So it would be best if you didn’t worry about the quality of the item.
English name | Bay leaves |
Malayalam name | Karuva Ella |
Binomial Name | Laurus nobilis |
Kingdom | Plantae |
Species | L. nobilis |
Family | Lauraceae |
Genus | Laurus |
Order | Laurales |
Clade | Tracheophytes |
Clade | Angiosperms |
Clade | Magnoliids |
Bay leaf in Malayalam name
Bay leaf in Malayalam is called Karuva Ella; in those regions, it is better if you stick to the native name in the market to get the product. Most people will not be familiar with the English name for bay leaf, but most of the native area will prefer the Malayalam name for the item.
When it comes to why Bay Leaf sells well in the market, it’s because of the long traditional use of the ingredient in the Indian household.
The popularity of Bay leaf comes from a variety of reasons; the taste it adds to any regular dish without ruining it is the reason why many Indian households use bay leaf almost on a daily basis. While eating it raw might be something you don’t want to do, as it tastes awful, adding it to recipes that you are fond of but you don’t want to add anything to ruin the taste. Bay leaf is one of the best ingredients to add to it.
Side effects of Bay leaf
The side effects of Bay leaf are going to low on side effects; normally, leaves are grounded into power to be used as a medicine for short-term usage. Compared to others, bay leaves are going to be less impactful on side effects.
You don’t have to worry about it too much, so you can freely use it on any dish you like without worrying about side effects. If you are collecting the dry bay leaves from the ground or soil then must wash the leaves properly.
1. Digestive issues
Bay leaves will have digestive issues, as they are not known for their digestive properties. The leaf can’t be digested; the leaf will stay the whole while passing through the digestive system. So if you do decide to eat it, then the leaf will become lodged in the throat. Or could pierce the lining of the intestines. None of them are pleasant to experience, so it is better to do what most people do when they have bay leaves on their cooked food.
Most people remove the bay leaf before eating; the purpose of the leaf here is to add flavor and smell to the dish.
2. Allergic reaction
If you ground up the bay leaf and then apply it to your skin, it might bring some benefits, but it might trigger an allergic reaction on your skin.
These are some of the minor reactions that one might have to face upon consuming bay leaf in their dish. The ingredient here is pretty much safe to consume, but some minor precautions can prevent some aforementioned issues.
5+ Benefits of Bay leaf
Now that we are aware of the side effects of bay leaves, it is time to focus on the other side of the coin. This section will go through all the potential benefits of bay leaves when they get added to a dish.
Most of the reason why people consume bay leaves comes down to the smell they can add to the dish, but on the other hand, it also comes with a range of good benefits that will help our body in multiple ways. Without further ado, here are the potential benefits of bay leaves and the value they add to our health.
1. Bay Leaf digestion benefits
Bay leaves are known to impact the gastrointestinal system; they will stimulate urination as a diuretic that is known to decrease the toxicity of the body. They can also stimulate vomiting after any toxic consumption.
That’s not the end here; the organic compounds found in bay leaves are known to be very beneficial against upset stomachs, soothing irritable bowel syndrome, and lowering the symptoms of Celiac disease.
Other forms of bay leaf consumption, such as bay Leaves oil and bay leaf tea, will help you deal with any digestive-related problems. The unique enzymes found in the bay leaves are what make them perfect for the digestive regimen.
2. Bay leaves for respiratory system benefits.
You can get bay leaves essential oil and mix it into a salve, and then apply it to the chest; it can help alleviate various respiratory issues in your body. You can think about making a poultice made of bay leaves to achieve the same result. It will also have to be spread throughout the chest and have to remain overnight.
Bay leaf can add plenty of benefits to the respiratory system; just by inhaling the vapors, it will create a similar effect to aromatherapy. Bay leaves might loosen up the phlegm and prevent or eliminate harmful bacteria trapped in the respiratory tracts. The natural antibacterial facet of bay leaves is what makes them very compelling in the market.
3. Bay leaf benefits for hair growth
Bay leaves can improve hair follicles and eliminate dandruff. People use bay leaves after they shampoo their hair; the bay leaves have to be steamed in the water before use. The chemicals and volatile ingredients in bay leaves are known to take care of dry skin and dandruff.
4. Regulates Blood Pressure
Caffeic acid and rutin are two of the organic compounds found in bay leaves that can enhance the health of the heart. Just by drinking bay leaves tea, it will take care of heartburn problems. Rutin, on the other hand, strengthens the capillary walls in the heart and extremities of the body.
5. Good for diabetes management
Bay leaves are known to have connections to improve insulin receptor function and are known to regulate blood sugar levels. Bay leaves can lower the chances of diabetics episodes; the leaves are perfect for patients who are at risk of developing diabetes and also for people who are suffering from it.
6. Good for lowering anxiety and stress
The naturally soothing quality is very well-known about bay leaves. Excess stress hormones can cause plenty of problems for your long-term health; here, taking bay leaves will calm you down. A perfect thing to have during high anxiety moments, bay leaves can also be taken with tea to reduce stress and create a refreshing mood.
There are also other benefits of bay leaf that are very well known; most of them are backed up by factual evidence. Again if you read any overwhelming claims, then it is better if you take it slow and see if any of it is backed up by any remote facts or evidence.
Nutrients in Bay leaf
This part of the article will go through the sheer number of nutrients that come with Bay leaf. Most of the health benefits from Bay Leaf you read about online will derive from the list of nutrients mentioned below.
Nutrients | Quantity | % of DV |
---|---|---|
Total Fat | 8 g | 12% |
Saturated fat | 2.3 g | 11% |
Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
Sodium | 23 mg | 0% |
Potassium | 529 mg | 15% |
Total Carbohydrate | 75 g | 25% |
Dietary fiber | 26 g | 104% |
Protein | 8 g | 16% |
Vitamin C | – | 77% |
Calcium | – | 83% |
Iron | – | 238%Â Â |
Vitamin D | – | 0% |
Vitamin B6 | – | 85%Â |
Cobalamin | – | 0% |
Magnesium | – | 30% |
Calories | 314g | – |
Units
μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams
IU = International units
The nutrients here will have an effect on the body; most of the benefits you read about bay leaf will make use of the nutrients of bay leaf to suppress diseases. Most of the ingredients that don’t take the main attraction of a dish will have a wide variety of usages.
All about Bay leaf
The color of the Bay leaf here will be vaguely green, and the popularity of the bay leaf color has been made into the word usage. People for a long time have referred to vague green as bay leaf green. If you have decided on colors for your walls or car, you will find bay leaf green being mentioned on the list.
The appearance of Bay leaf
The color of the Bay leaf will be light green; they are easily noticeable. Most plants will lean on the extreme side of the green, but bay leaves will stay on the light side of the green color. When it dry it will looks like brown in color or normal dry leaf type texture.
Size of Bay leaf
The size here will be around 4 to 5 inches long. Any medium-sized plant will carry most of the resemblance of bay leaf. At the same time, it can get confusing if you decide to look at bay leaf next to other plants that share the same color and size. But there are some observation aspects of bay leaf that can give away the clues.
Taste of Bay leaf
The taste of bay leaves is what you imagined in your head. The taste here will be very bitter and pungent. Most people dry it, as it brings up the herbal taste of the plant without any presence of bitterness.
Types of Bay Leaf
You will find two types of bay leaf in the market. One comes from california, hence the name Californian bay leaf and the other one is called turkish bay leaf.
In your local market, you will find the turkish bay leaf at a higher amount. Now the question becomes, is the turkish bay leaf better than the Californian variation? The answer is yes; the subtle flavor of the turkish variety leaves a meaningful taste without ruining the dish.
The common variety of bay leaf that you will find in the market is the turkish bay leaf.
Recipes of Bay leaf in Malayalam areas
Bay leaves recipes are very easy as you don’t have to follow any strict rules or steps, you just have to add the leaves to the dish, and that’s the end of it. Again it would be best if you took out the leaves from the dish when it is ready to be served.
There are side effects that you will go through if you do decide to take the bay leaves from the dish, as our body is not known to digest the leaves. Make sure always to take out the leaves from the dish.
In India, bay leaves are common; almost all types of dishes will have bay leaves to add smell and benefits to the dish. It is better if you read up on the side effects first; taking the leaves raw or even after it has been cooked is not going to turn out good for your health. While the benefits do sound attractive, always follow the proper way to consume bay leaves rather than just taking the whole leaf to the mouth.
There are other handfuls of bay leaves recipes that you can try to look for new ways for consumption. Grounded juices, applied to the skin, are plenty of ways a person can take bay leaves that don’t involve the mouth.
The aroma of bay leaves is so popular, so peoples are using these bay leaves for Saute, Bhun na, chunka or in phutana.
Now you will ask, what is Chunka or phutana, Bhun na or Saute?
Here Saute, Bhun na, Chunka or Phutana all are same in meaning, in different places people are calling this process in different names. It means when you are making any recipe using oil and when you are adding jeera, chilli, curry leaves, ginger garlic paste, mustard, spices, Garam masala or other spices or powders in to the oil this is called Bhun na or Chunka or Phutana or Saute.
 In India people are using bay leaves in Kheer recipe, Kadha, in Halwa recipe or Halua Recipe, in Suji recipe, in Semia recipe, Semei recipe, Charu recipe, Papu charu recipe, sambar recipe, khatta recipe like: mango khatta recipe or aam khatta recipe, tamarind khata, ambula khatta recipe, ambula charu recipe, boitialu tomato khata recipe or ambila recipe using tamarind and etc.
You will get these khatta recipes in some states or some places like in Kerla, Chennai, Tamilnadu, Andrapradesh, Vijaywada, telengana, hydrabad, Visakhapatnam, Odisha, Berhampur, ichhapur or in some places of south side of india and some places of east side of india.Â
Price of Bay leaf in Malayalam areas
The price of Bay leaf in Malayalam will be around 50 to 400 rupees. The quality of Bay Leaf will come with different pricing compared to the common ones found in the market, as they are going to be easily found under the 50 rupee radar. Most bay leaves can be bought in larger amounts under 50 rupees. Go to your local general store; they will have an abundance of bay leaves for a cheaper price tag.
You might have to think about not spending a lot here, as the cost will be very affordable, but getting too many of them will also be worthless. Just always think about the ways you are going to consume the product before you decide to buy them.
Bulk purchases will save more money on the overall cost, as many of the ecommerce websites often set a 130 to 400 rupees price tag on a 1 to 5 kg packet of Bay leaves. Other forms of bay leaves, such as ground or tea, will cost a bit more than just getting the plants in a packet. Always go through the review section of these bay leaves if they promise something too outlandish.
Conclusion
Bay leaf in Malayalam spells out differently, but the ingredient will be much the same, as it will have the same number of nutrients and benefits that comes with any other bay leaf in any region of india.
Most of the curry items in Indian households will make use of bay leaves to add the much-needed taste to give an authentic Indian vibe to the dish. That’s why the popularity of bay leaves never went down over the years; it has become a staple in the household to use the bay leaves to enhance the flavoring of the dish without ruining it.
FAQ
Here we will get into all the frequently asked questions that get sprouted on the Internet about Bay leaf.
Is the common variant of Bay leaf safe to consume?
The typical variant of Bay leaf has all the nutrients discussed earlier in the article. While you will encounter many premium varieties of Bay leaves, the nutrients and other aspects of the Bay leaf will not see any changes between the common and the premium variant.
So, you can buy the common variant of bay leaves since you are only buying it to enhance the flavoring of the dish instead of consuming it.
Is it difficult to cook with Bay leaves?
Bay leaves do go well with most of the curry items you see in the Indian market. It doesn’t matter what region you are staying in India; almost all types of curry items can get a lot of flavoring by just adding bay leaves to the mix.
In short, yes, it is very easy to take bay leaves to any of the food items since the only thing you have to do is just add it to the dish without worrying about the overall taste of the dish getting ruined. Bay leaves have become one of the most commonly used ingredients in the Indian market that works without any flaw.
Can I use bay leaves as a natural insect repeller?
Yes, bay leaves can provide a great insect repellent as they will contain lauric acid; it is true you can use bay leaves to ward off any insects in your house. The paste that you make from crushed leaves with a little oil can relieve you from stings and other sorts of bites.
It is very well known that bay leaves have these kinds of properties in them. So you are free to use it against any sort of insect problem you have in your house.
Are bay leaves effective against hair loss?
Bay leaves usage after a shower can add benefits to your scalp. Bay leaves are very effective in treating dandruff. Or you can just take tea with bay leaves to take care of the hair loss problem. There are also other forms of bay leaf products, such as bay leaves oil, to combat dandruff and hair loss on your body effectively.