Bay leaves

The famous laurel wreath of the Roman Empire hints at the ancient origins of this very special leaf. Although it is used in many dishes and sauces, and is renowned for its inimitable flavour, less is known about its use in phytotherapy and its benefits for the body.

A leaf well known to chefs

With its distinctive "spearhead" shape, the laurel leaf does not go unnoticed, and is easy to recognise. With its green leaves, slightly whitened at the back, and its small flowers and berries, bay shrubs can reach a spread of up to 10 metres. They are often found at the bottom of our gardens, often recognisable by their typical scent. Although we often found it at the bottom of our childhood soups (sometimes with disgust, I have to admit, sorry granny), it can be found in many dishes around the world. With its unusual smell and taste, bay leaves are instantly recognisable. But very little is known about its virtues for the human body.

Unsuspected internal benefits

While it's easy to imagine that bay leaves can have beneficial external effects, we're less familiar with their external benefits.

Internal benefits :

- Aids digestion

- Reduces flatulence and bloating

- calms urinary tract infections

- Calms dental infections

- Antiseptic and bactericidal properties

- Soothes sore throats

- Helps treat flu-like conditions (coughs, bronchitis, blocked sinuses, etc.)

- Regulates bile secretion

- Stimulates appetite

It's hard to imagine that a simple little leaf found in tomato sauce could have so many beneficial effects, particularly on digestion. It's easy to see why tomatoes have been used since ancient times.

External use

If the internal uses and benefits of Laurel leaf have left you speechless, it's because you have even less idea that Laurel leaf can be used for external body care. Its external benefits include

- Soothes rheumatism

- Soothes joint pain

- Hair care

- Skin care

- Purifying for the scalp (rinse water)

Once we've discovered all these benefits, it's certain that we'll be taking this little green leaf out of our kitchen cupboards and putting it in our bathrooms.

How to use bay leaves internally

For both internal and external use, use the whole bay leaf, as well as the branch and even the berries at the bottom of the leaf. All's good in bay leaves, as the old saying goes.

It can therefore be used in decoctions and infusions to benefit from its virtues, particularly for the digestive system. If you want to benefit from its digestive virtues, you'll need to drink it after a meal, if you're looking for its benefits against colds.

To infuse your bay leaves, it's very simple: you'll need hot water, not necessarily boiling, and about 15 grams of bay leaves per litre of water, i.e. 7.5 for 500 ml and just over 3 grams for a 250 ml cup. Ideally, you should drink 2 to 3 cups a day, after meals. If the taste of bay leaves is too strong, you can add a spoonful of thyme honey to your cup, for example.

To make a decoction, boil 45 grams of bay leaves in a litre of water.

So what's the difference between decoction and herbal tea? Herbal tea involves pouring hot water over the bay leaves, while a decoction involves putting the bay leaves in cold water and heating the mixture. The active ingredients are extracted by dissolving them in the boiling water. It's a question of taste and/or practicality.

The decoction can also be used as a gargle, particularly for mouth aches, in which case it should be smoothed and cooled before use.

How do you use bay leaves externally?

Bay leaves can be used in a variety of ways to treat hair, skin or rheumatism, and these are the main uses of bay leaves externally.

First of all, for the hair, bay leaves can be used as a rinse. Thanks to its purifying action on the scalp, bay leaves will make your hair healthier and cleaner. After your shampoo or conditioner, or even your oil bath or the use of Ayurvedic powders if you want to keep your body care natural, use your bay leaf decoction preferably cold (it tightens the hair scales and adds shine). You can dilute the decoction by one litre in one litre of water to obtain a water diluted to 50%, which will smell less strong without losing any of its benefits.

If you want to use it for facial care, you can use it on compresses and apply it to your face, or on your joints if you suffer from rheumatism.

Finally, usebay leaf oil for massage, diluted in neutral vegetable oil, sparingly as always when using essential oils. A gentle, gentle massage for rheumatism and painful joints, as can be performed by physiotherapists in particular.

Precautions for use

There are no known contraindications to the use of Bay leaf, which is rare enough to be worth noting. It would therefore seem that bay leaves should be used on a daily basis, other than in cooking, and that their virtues are essential and non-invasive for the body. As with all natural products, the astonishingly beneficial results of bay leaves can be assessed over time. A course of treatment lasting at least a month will produce convincing results, so it's up to you to give it a try!