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What happens if you light a bay leaf at home
Every good cook knows that a rich and tasty soup needs a bay leaf. It emphasizes the taste of the dish, but in addition to the smell and taste, it has a number of other advantages.
Bay leaf has cleansing properties and prevents premature aging. Fights viral infections, improves health: from the respiratory system to the heart. But it can be used not only for cooking, but also to light it like an incense stick. The benefits are listed below:
1. Relieves stress and overwork
Bay leaf gives a soothing and relaxing effect when burned.
It is enough to light a few dry bay leaves. The most important thing is that you will not feel sleepy, but simply relieve stress.
2. Beneficial for the respiratory system.
Helps to remove mucus and phlegm from the lungs. Breathe in the smell of fresh or dried leaves. To treat asthma and allergies, rub your chest with laurel oil.
3. Treats dandruff.
To treat dandruff, combine bay oil + warmed jojoba oil. Rub this mixture into your scalp, then wrap your head in a towel. Hold for 15 to 60 minutes. You can also add a small amount of bay oil to your favorite shampoo to prevent dandruff.
4. Fights diabetes.
Studies have shown bay leaf to be an effective treatment for type 2 diabetics. Eating just three grams of bay leaf a day lowers glucose levels.
5. Good for digestion.
In cultures from the Mediterranean to East Asia that use alternative medicine, bay leaves are believed to have warming and healing properties. According to Ayurveda, this plant enhances the "digestive fire". Add it to food or rub laurel oil on the stomach, which promotes the secretion of gastric juice, enzymes and bile.
6. Good for the heart.
An organic compound in bay leaves called caffeic acid is known to strengthen the walls of blood vessels in the heart, helping to get rid of bad cholesterol.
7. Helps with inflammation of the joints.
In 2003, a study published in Phytotherapy Research found that the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of laurel oil were similar to those of morphine. To relieve pain, simply apply oil to inflamed joints.
7. Treats urinary tract infections.
Mix powdered bay leaf with milk. This ancient recipe will help you deal with urinary infections.
Bay leaf is a plant that has many really useful properties. One of the main advantages is its availability. Consume it daily dried or as an oil.
Bay leaf we have always associated not only with cooking, but also with victory, glory and honors - after all, everyone knows that in ancient times, and much later, a laurel wreath was awarded for victory in various fields of activity - be it military exploits, sports, science or art.
Perhaps not everyone knows, but the word "laureate" comes from the word "laurel".
Laurel (also called noble) is an evergreen shrub, although it is tall enough so that it can also be called a tree. It grows in the subtropical zone, and its fruits and leaves have always been used as spices.
It turns out that laurel is an amazing, relic plant, and it grew on Earth tens of millions of years ago - in the Tertiary period, during the heyday of the dinosaurs.
The life expectancy of a laurel is up to 400 years, and the Mediterranean is considered its homeland. Today it grows in Turkey and Greece, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and other countries of Southern Europe, as well as in the Crimea, the Caucasus, and Latin America.
In the countries of the ancient world, the laurel was a cult tree, as well as a symbol of male beauty and sexuality: it was not for nothing that the Greek god Apollo, known for his beauty and love affairs, was always depicted wearing a laurel wreath.
The Greeks decorated their houses with a bay leaf, and when they went to bed, they put it under the bed - it was believed that in this way one could see a prophetic dream.
In many countries, bay leaves have been used for a very long time in a completely different way than we do today. If we most often use it for culinary purposes, then even 2000 years ago it served to flavor water for washing and washing hands before eating.
However, already in the 1st century AD, people realized that bay leaves could be successfully used as a spice. At first they prepared fruit desserts and puddings with it, and only then they began to add it to other dishes: meat, fish, vegetables, etc.
In general, the bay leaf in many countries was used first for medicinal purposes, and only then discovered its culinary properties. Laurel came to the territory of our country about 2500 years ago - it was brought to the Crimea by the Greeks. By the way, at the same time, plants that are considered local there today came to Crimea: grapes, cypresses, olives, figs.
The noble laurel is also called real or fragrant, and of course, it has many medicinal properties.
Composition of bay leaf
Very valuable components of the bay leaf are organic acids, fatty oil, essential oil, tannins. You might think that the bay leaf contains practically no calories - after all, this is a plant, but for a plant it is quite high in calories - 313 kcal per 100 g.
In general, the composition of the bay leaf includes carbohydrates, fats, proteins, dietary fiber, saturated fatty acids; vitamins - A, C, PP, group B; macroelements - calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus; trace elements - iron, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium. Perhaps the mineral composition does not seem so rich, but it is represented by precisely those substances that are very important for our health, and are required by our body every day, in large enough quantities.
Medicinal properties of bay leaf
Due to its composition and properties, bay leaf is useful not only for culinary purposes, but also for medicinal purposes: it helps to restore, maintain and maintain health, and hence beauty.
A decoction of bay leaves has a beneficial effect on the functioning of many organs, improves appetite and digestion. It is used in the treatment of cholelithiasis and cholecystitis, colds, paralysis, rheumatism; as an external remedy for some skin diseases.
Laurel essential oil is used in the food and perfume industries, for the manufacture of medicinal ointments and veterinary drugs.
Bay leaf helps to strengthen the immune system, as it contains the necessary elements for this and phytoncides that kill pathogenic bacteria - therefore, it can also be used to control insects in pets.
Bay leaf infusion can be successfully used in diabetes mellitus, treatment of joints - they used to be treated with arthritis and gout, and also as a general tonic. Laurel oil is used in the treatment of runny nose, cough and sinusitis.
To strengthen the immune system and prevent colds, a decoction of bay leaf is used.
It is necessary to take about 15 leaves of laurel, pour water (300 ml), bring to a boil and keep on low heat for 5 minutes. Then pour into a thermos, leave for about 4 hours, strain and drink - 1 tbsp. l. during the day. Thus, bay infusion is drunk for 3 days. You can repeat the procedure after 2 weeks to fix the result.
With increased sweating, baths with a decoction or infusion of bay leaf help. The infusion is poured into the bath, counting so that it accounts for 50-100 ml per 1 liter of water.
Stings of bees and wasps can also be treated with fresh laurel leaves - you just need to attach them to the bite site.
Bay leaf was often used in antiquity as an antidote and disinfectant, as well as a means of increasing concentration and relieving insomnia.
There is even a simple way to help calm young children: if the child does not fall asleep well and is naughty, you should put 2-3 bay leaves next to the crib - this usually works, and the children fall asleep quickly.
As a rule, if our ears hurt, the first thing we do is instill a solution of boric acid into them. If it is not at hand, you can use an infusion of bay leaf - it perfectly relieves inflammation and pain. Pour 5 bay leaves with a glass of water, bring them to a boil and infuse, wrapped, for 2 hours. Then drip the infusion into the sore ear - 3 times a day, 3-4 drops, and drink it at the same time, 3 tbsp.
You can tell a little more about the folk way of cleansing the joints with the help of a bay leaf. Official medicine also does not deny it, however, it recommends that it be carried out under supervision.
It is necessary to grind the bay leaf (5 g), pour it with boiling water (300 ml), and cook for 5 minutes over low heat. Pour the broth into a thermos, leave for 4 hours, then strain and drink for 12 hours, in small sips. The procedure is carried out within 3 days.
At first glance, this treatment is almost the same as the method of strengthening immunity described above, but there are differences. The break in taking the decoction is not 2 weeks, but 3 days, and then the procedure is repeated.
In addition, during treatment it is recommended to follow as strict a vegetarian diet as possible, do cleansing enemas every day and take baths: with coniferous twigs, magnesium salts, hay dust. It is also desirable to take a contrast shower and air baths. During a break in drinking, all water procedures must be continued.
Such a procedure for cleansing the joints can be carried out no more than once every 3 months - in the first year of treatment, and in the future it can be repeated every year - only the liver and intestines should be cleaned first.
Bay leaf in cooking
And of course, you need to at least briefly talk about the main use of bay leaves in our time - in cooking.
As a spice, bay leaf is used in various forms: fresh, dried, powdered from dried leaves; laurel fruits are also used. Bay leaf is especially often used in canning, but it is also present at least in other dishes, which is why it is even called a spice.
Any dish will become tastier and more aromatic if you add bay leaves to it, but this is especially noticeable in sour dishes, gravies and sauces. Bay leaf improves the taste of first courses: meat, vegetable and fish soups, borscht and cabbage soup; makes main courses original and spicy; goes well with fish, meat, legumes, carrots, cabbage.
Bay leaf is added in different ways: in the first dishes 5 minutes before readiness, and in the second - 7-10 minutes before, from 1 to 4 leaves per dish. When the bay leaf is placed in the dish, the lid is closed, but the bay leaf must be removed from the finished dish, because after a while the dish may start to taste bitter and acquire a too pungent smell; besides, it is tough, and many people tend to remove it from the plate in the first place.
Bay leaf goes well with other spices: sage, thyme, rosemary, cloves, coriander, basil, parsley, dill, pepper - hot and fragrant.
With the help of bay leaves, you can improve the smell and taste of some dishes - for example, jelly. In the food industry, this property is used very widely, for flavoring sausages, cheeses, stews and pates, marinades, canned fish, etc. - as a whole, in the form of powder and essential oil. Bay leaves are also included in some spice blends that benefit from this.
In Western Europe, bay leaves are sometimes still added to desserts, drinks, jams and sweets. There are also regions on the territory of our country - for example, Kalmykia or Kuban, where they like to use it in sweet dishes.
You can store dry bay leaves for about a year, so when buying, carefully look at when it was released. It is better to buy fresh leaves - now it is quite affordable.
Today, pressed or granulated bay leaves are often sold, but this may well consist of waste, garbage, which is formed during the drying of a whole bay leaf, and also makes the broth cloudy and ugly. Its taste is also not always attractive, so it is better to buy and use a whole bay leaf.
Doctors believe that it is undesirable to use bay leaf infusion for medicinal purposes for cholelithiasis, cholecystitis (although traditional medicine, on the contrary, recommends such treatment), pancreatitis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer.
However, it is worth saying that even with these diseases it is quite possible to take this infusion, only it must be cooled down, not warm, and 10-15 minutes after eating, so traditional medicine is still not mistaken.
You can not put too much bay leaf in dishes, as well as drink a lot of infusion or decoction - this can cause poisoning.
During pregnancy and lactation, acute diseases of the liver and kidneys, it should also be used in very small quantities.
Gataulina Galina
for women's magazine site
When using and reprinting the material, an active link to the women's online magazine is required
In the article we discuss the bay leaf, talk about its beneficial properties, contraindications for use. You will learn how to use the spice in medicine, cosmetology and cooking. Following our advice, you will learn how to prepare medicinal infusions, decoctions for the treatment of cough, diabetes, allergies, cystitis, hemorrhoids, joint diseases. We will talk about the magical properties of the plant, how to use it to fulfill desires.
Laurel is a subtropical tree of the Laurel family (lat. Lauraceae). The leaves of this plant are leathery, alternate. They are widely used in folk medicine, cosmetology and cooking - as a spice.
Beneficial features
The culture is rich in essential oils, vitamins and trace elements. The spice has a tonic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect, improves appetite, eliminates joint and muscle pain. The plant is used in medicine to treat colds, diabetes, cystitis and hemorrhoids.
Appearance (photo) of the Laurel plant.
A decoction of shoots relieves alcoholism. With regular use, the remedy develops a persistent aversion to alcohol.
Cosmetic products are made from spices or nourishing and firming masks are prepared based on it. The tool is used externally to eliminate acne, pigmentation.
Application in cooking
As a spice, fresh, dry, ground laurel leaves are used. This seasoning gives flavor to soups, meat, fish, vegetable dishes, sauces. Laurel is added to marinades and used for preservation. Ground raw materials present in the composition of mustard, stew, pate, sausages of industrial production improve the quality of dishes.
The essential oils of the plant quickly disappear, so the spice is placed in the dish 5-10 minutes before it is ready. The leaves should be removed from the finished dish so that they do not give a bitter taste.
How to apply in cosmetology
A decoction of raw materials is widely used in home cosmetology. It has a tonic, cleansing, rejuvenating effect. The sprout remedy is good for skin and hair.
Lightens the skin, eliminating pigmentation, normalizes the sebaceous glands, tightens pores. Masks, creams based on spices tighten the skin, smooth wrinkles.
A decoction of laurel soothes the scalp, eliminates itching and treats dandruff. The tool strengthens hair, accelerates their growth, adds shine.
Face tonic
Based on the decoction, a tonic is prepared, which is used daily. The product is suitable for problem skin to get rid of acne.
Ingredients:
- Bay leaves - 20 pieces.
- Water - 500 ml.
How to cook: Grind the raw materials in a coffee grinder, fill with water, put on a minimum heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the stove, cover with a lid, leave for at least 5 hours.
How to use: Wipe your face with tonic morning and evening. The tool can be frozen and used in the form of ice cubes.
Result: Tonic narrows pores, eliminates inflammation of the skin, has a rejuvenating effect.
Strengthening hair mask
To strengthen, hair growth, decoctions, tinctures, oil, masks based on laurel are used. All these remedies can be prepared independently at home, using the leaves of the culture. Consider the recipe for a strengthening hair mask.
Ingredients:
- Chamomile flowers - 10 gr.
- Burdock root - 10 gr.
- Lavrushka - 4 pcs.
- Water - 500 ml.
How to cook: Mix the herbs, remember them with a rolling pin, pour boiling water over them and put on a minimum fire. Boil for 7 minutes, remove from the stove, cool and filter the broth into a separate container.
How to use: Rub the remaining gruel into the scalp with massage movements. Wrap your hair with a towel and hold the mask for half an hour. After the procedure, rinse the strands with filtered broth.
Result: The mask strengthens the hair, prevents hair loss, baldness. After the procedure, the hair becomes more manageable, shiny.
See the following video for another mask recipe:
Decoction for weight loss
The decoction removes excess fluid, toxins, toxins from the body. This ability is highly valued in nutrition. The drink is used as a means to lose weight.
Ingredients:
- Laurel leaves - 3 pcs.
- Water - 300 ml.
How to cook: Pour boiling water over the raw materials, put on fire, bring to a boil, simmer under the lid for 5 minutes. Remove from stove, let cool, strain.
How to use: Drink 1 tablespoon of decoction before each meal.
Result: The drink cleanses the body, removes stagnant fluid, which contributes to weight loss.
How to use in folk medicine
The culture is used in folk medicine for the treatment of diseases of the respiratory, urinary tract, digestive system, and joint diseases. On the basis of spices, infusions, decoctions, oils are made, which are used internally and externally. Consider common recipes that use plants.
cough inhalations
Inhalations with a decoction quickly eliminate cough and clear the bronchi. The tool stimulates the excretion of sputum, strengthens the immune system.
Ingredients:
- Laurel - 5 pcs.
- Water - 500 ml.
- Laurel essential oil - 3 drops.
How to cook: Chop the leaves, cover with water, boil for 5 minutes. Cover with a lid, let cool slightly.
How to use: Before inhalation, add laurel essential oil to the decoction, breathe this solution for 10-15 minutes. Repeat the procedure 3-5 times a day.
Result: Regular inhalations eliminate a painful cough in 3-4 days.
At the first sign of a cold, foot baths with a decoction of bay leaves will help. Spend them for 10-15 minutes, then put on warm socks.
Ointment for sinusitis
For the treatment of sinusitis, an ointment based on laurel is used. The tool warms the sinuses, thins the mucus and removes it from the nasal cavities.
Ingredients:
- Lavrushka leaves - 40 gr.
- Juniper needles - 1 teaspoon.
- Butter - 20 gr.
How to cook: Grind dry shoots and needles into powder, mix with butter and put the product in the refrigerator.
How to use: Apply the ointment to the area of the maxillary sinuses and leave for 20-30 minutes. This recipe can be used to warm the chest with a strong cough.
Result: The ointment effectively copes with the symptoms of rhinitis and sinusitis, facilitating nasal breathing.
Infusion from allergies
The infusion is used externally for allergies. The remedy eliminates itching, burning, redness, rashes and swelling of the skin. The drink is taken orally to normalize bowel function.
Ingredients:
- Leaves - 5 pcs.
- Water - 250 ml.
How to cook: Pour the leaves with water, put on the stove, cook over low heat for about 15 minutes. Cover with a lid, let it brew for half an hour. Add boiled water to the cooled product to make 250 ml of infusion.
How to use: Take 50 ml of drink 3 times a day. The product is suitable for external use.
Result: The infusion blocks toxins, eliminates the external symptoms of allergies, and normalizes the digestive tract.
Compress for joints
A compress with an oil infusion of bay leaf eliminates joint pain. After the procedure, their motor activity improves.
Ingredients:
- Bay leaves - 3 pcs.
- Water - 300 ml.
- Castor oil - 1 tablespoon.
How to cook: Grind vegetable raw materials, pour boiling water, cover, insist for an hour. Add oil, mix until smooth.
How to use: Apply the product to the sore spot, cover with cling film, warm with a towel. Keep the compress for at least 2 hours.
Result: The remedy quickly eliminates pain in the joints, tendons.
See the following video for another recipe for joints:
Decoction to remove salts
Cleaning the joints from salts plays an important role in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. A decoction copes with this task.
Ingredients:
- Bay leaves - 4 pcs.
- Water - 1.5 cups.
How to cook: Grind dry leaves, fill with water, boil for 3-4 minutes. Leave the drink to infuse all night, strain in the morning.
How to use: Take 50 ml every 12 hours before meals.
Result: The drink stimulates the blood supply to small joints, which helps to remove salts. The decoction improves the mobility of the limbs, eliminates swelling.
Infusion for osteochondrosis
The infusion is used for osteochondrosis, rheumatism, arthritis. The tool normalizes blood supply in the intervertebral joints, anesthetizes them, increases motor activity.
Ingredients:
- Bay leaves - 5 pcs.
- Water - 300 ml.
How to cook: Pour the crushed raw materials with water, put on a slow fire, cook for no more than 10 minutes. Pour the liquid into a thermos, insist for 2 hours.
How to use: Take 1 tablespoon throughout the day. The resulting volume of liquid is calculated on the daily rate. The course of treatment is 3 days. If you need to re-take, you need to take a week break.
Result: The infusion restores cartilage tissue in the joints, eliminates pain, muscle spasms.
Decoction for diabetes
Lavrushka normalizes metabolism, lowers blood sugar, so it is often used to treat diabetes. The drink can be taken for prevention.
Ingredients:
- Bay leaves - 15 pcs.
- Water - 300 ml.
How to cook: Pour vegetable raw materials with water, cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Pour into a thermos, leave for at least 4 hours.
How to use: Drink the decoction in small sips throughout the day. The course of treatment is 3 days. If necessary, re-admission should take a two-week break.
Result: The drink improves overall well-being and restores strength. With regular therapy with infusion, it is necessary to reduce the dosage of hypoglycemic drugs.
Bath decoction for cystitis
Bay leaf has a diuretic, analgesic effect. Sitz baths are effective in relieving the symptoms of cystitis.
Ingredients:
- Bay leaves - 40 gr.
- Water - 5 liters.
How to cook: Prepare a decoction by boiling the raw materials for half an hour.
How to use: Dial the bath by a third, add a decoction to the water. The temperature of the liquid should be no higher than 38 degrees. Sit in the bath for 15 minutes.
Result: The bath warms up the organs of the genitourinary system, eliminates pain, pathogens that may be on the genitals.
Lotions for hemorrhoids
For the treatment of hemorrhoids, infusions, decoctions are used, which are taken orally. External use of these funds eliminates the symptoms of the disease.
Ingredients:
- Bay leaves - 10 gr.
- Water - 250 ml.
How to cook: Pour boiling water over raw materials, cover with a lid, insist for a couple of hours. Strain the cooled liquid.
How to use: Soak a soft cloth in the infusion, apply to the anal sphincter for 2-3 minutes.
Result: Lotions provide local anesthesia, eliminate itching, burning. The procedure reduces tissue swelling.
Decoction for menstruation
With a delay in menstruation, a decoction helps. It provokes contraction of the uterus, causing bleeding. This method is suitable for a slight delay caused by stress, excessive physical exertion or a cold.
Ingredients:
- Bay leaves - 10 gr.
- Water - 500 ml.
How to cook: Fill the shoots with water, boil, cover, simmer for an hour.
How to use: Drink a glass of the cooled broth for two times with a break of half an hour. You can not repeat the procedure, it can be dangerous to health.
Result: Menstruation begins 2-3 hours after taking the remedy.
Tincture from alcoholism
Lavrushka develops a persistent aversion to alcoholic beverages, so it is used to treat alcoholism. Most often, a tincture is prepared for this purpose, which is given to the patient without his knowledge, mixed with alcohol.
Ingredients:
- Bay leaves - 3 pcs.
- Vodka - 250 ml.
- Pumpkin seeds - 50 gr.
How to cook: Grind pumpkin seeds, pour vodka, add laurel, infuse the product for at least 2 weeks in a cool place.
How to use: Add the tincture to the food or drink of an alcoholic.
Result: The drink causes indigestion, an attack of nausea, vomiting. The systematic use of infusion develops a persistent aversion to alcohol.
Decoction
The drink strengthens the immune system, restores strength after an illness. To prepare a decoction, use fresh or dried shoots. The tool is used for oral and external use.
Dry leaves of bay leaf.
Ingredients:
- Fresh bay leaves - 30 gr.
- Water - 300 ml.
How to cook: Cut raw materials with a knife, fill with water, put on the stove, cook on minimum heat for 5 minutes. Pour the broth into a thermos, leave for at least 6 hours.
How to use: Take 1 tablespoon of the remedy 3 times a day.
Result: The decoction has a general strengthening effect, calms the nervous system, eliminates joint pain.
Infusion
The infusion is used to treat beriberi, diabetes, diseases of the female reproductive system. The tool eliminates the symptoms of allergies, removes toxic substances from the body.
Ingredients:
- Lavrushka - 4 pcs.
- Water - 500 ml.
How to cook: Mash dry raw materials, steam with boiling water, cover, insist for 5 hours. For infusion, you can use a thermos.
How to use: Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day. The course of admission to strengthen the immune system - 3 days.
Result: The infusion cleanses the body, promotes weight loss, and has a general strengthening effect.
Oil
At home, on the basis of lavrushka, you can make oil. The product is used internally and externally. It is used to treat respiratory diseases, skin diseases, burns and wounds.
Ingredients:
- Laurel leaves - 30 gr.
- Vegetable oil - 250 ml.
How to cook: Grind the plant to a state of flour, pour in warm oil, mix. Pour the mixture into a glass jar, close the lid and store in a dark place for 2 weeks. Strain the finished oil, store in the refrigerator.
How to use: Take orally 1-2 drops of oil diluted with water up to 3 times a day. Use externally on damaged skin.
Result: The oil has a tonic effect, reduces the acidity of gastric juice, accelerates the healing process of the epidermis.
How to use for children
A decoction is used as an additional remedy for the treatment of staphylococcus aureus in children. The remedy relieves various skin rashes, eliminates allergy symptoms.
The aroma calms the nervous system. If you put a couple of leaves of lavrushka at the head of the bed, then the child sleeps stronger, calmer.
A decoction is useful for newborns as an effective remedy for diathesis. With its help, inflamed areas of the skin are treated or added to baths for bathing.
Can it be used during pregnancy
Doctors do not recommend using lavrushka and products based on it during pregnancy. This prohibition is associated with the ability of laurel to contract the uterus. The result of increased muscle tone is the pathology of the development of the baby or miscarriage.
During lactation, decoctions and infusions can provoke the baby to refuse the breast. This is due to the bitter taste of the spice, which is transferred to mother's milk.
All these prohibitions do not apply to the external use of laurel-based products. They can be used to treat skin diseases, restore the epidermis after burns, and for cosmetic purposes.
magical properties
Since ancient times, culture has been considered a symbol of success, purity, purposefulness. Modern magic uses this spice to attract happiness, fulfill desires, cleanse negativity.
With its help, they make conspiracies for money, luck and love. It is believed that if you keep a little lavrushka smeared with orange oil in your wallet, this will improve well-being. And if on the new moon you place saucers with spicy leaves in the corners of the apartment and burn them in the morning, then you can cleanse the house of negative energy, attract good luck.
Contraindications
Before starting treatment, you should consult with a specialist, strictly follow the doctor's instructions so as not to harm the body. Spice is used with caution in hypertension, as it increases blood pressure.
Contraindications for use:
- During pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- acute diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- individual intolerance.
Where could I buy
Raw materials can be purchased at any store or market. Most often, the spice is sold already packaged in bags, but can be found in the form of a bunch of twigs. Quality leaves should be dark green in color with a uniform color, without dark spots and an unpleasant bitter odor.
The price of a 25 gram package of laurel is 40-50 rubles. The cost may vary depending on the manufacturer.
How to prepare
Lavrushka can be stocked up by drying it yourself. A fresh product is often sold in the markets, it can be collected from the tree yourself. Stock up on raw materials from November to February. Healthy leaves are dark green with no spots.
Lavrushka is dried in a dry room at a temperature of no more than 40 degrees for 5-6 days. Use an electric dryer for these purposes, setting the temperature to 40-50 degrees. Store dried shoots in glass containers for up to 1 year.
What to remember
- The culture is widely used in folk medicine, cooking and cosmetology.
- On its basis, infusions, decoctions, oil for external use and ingestion are made.
- Laurel treats diseases of the respiratory and digestive systems, eliminates joint and muscle pain.
Ruchkina N.
("HiZh", 2012, No. 3)
What does bay leaf grow on? Laurus nobilis (Laurus nobilis) is an evergreen shrub or tree that gave its name to a large family of laurels, and the only European representative of this family, which also includes such famous species as camphor tree, avocado and Ceylon cinnamon, whose bark we peel for spice. The Greek name for laurel is Daphne. According to the myth, and the ancient Greeks are famous myth-makers, Apollo was inflamed with passion for the nymph Daphne, but she preferred to turn into a tree rather than respond to his harassment. Got a laurel. Apollo nevertheless broke off this tree, wove a wreath and put it on his head. Therefore, in ancient Greece, the laurel was considered a tree dedicated to Apollo, and its leaves were cut off for wreaths, and not for soup. By the way, in Russia, where the bay leaf apparently came from Byzantium, it was called “daphnia” in the Greek manner until the 18th century.
How useful is Lavrushka? Bay leaf tastes bitter, especially fresh, but this spice is valued not for its taste, but for its pleasant smell. Laurel leaves contain up to 4.5% fragrant essential oil, the main component of which is cineole, a monoterpene with a camphor-ethereal odor. It has an expectorant and antiseptic effect. Another component of the essential oil, eugenol, a phenol derivative with a strong clove odor, has an antibacterial effect. In addition, bay leaves contain appetizing bitterness, acetic, valeric and caproic acids, fragrant terpenes pinene, phellandrene and geraniol, potassium, which is necessary for the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system, as well as tannins.
Decoctions and extracts of bay leaves improve digestion, lower blood sugar levels, they are used externally for many skin diseases. To cure stomatitis, sometimes it is enough just to chew on a leaf of laurel. The extract from the leaves helps to get rid of dandruff and also regulates the secretion of the sebaceous glands of the scalp. Laurel essential oil is used in aromatherapy, it has disinfectant and warming properties, promotes digestion, and inhibits the development of tubercle bacillus. It is also used in the form of compresses for skin diseases. Oily infusion of leaves rub painful places with arthritis, neuralgia and muscle pain. And it is very convenient for the user that the bay leaf completely retains its qualities when dried - this is not typical of all plants.
What foods go with bay leaf? For a long time, bay leaves have been used to flavor water intended for washing hands before meals. They became a recognized spice in the 1st century AD. e. At first, fruit desserts were prepared with bay leaves - baked apples and figs. In our time, the range of its application has expanded. Bay leaf is added to all first courses, except for milk and fruit soups, meat and fish dishes, boiled vegetables - cabbage, potatoes, carrots, legumes. This is an indispensable spice for correcting the taste and smell of jelly and other offal dishes. The dried and crushed leaf is added to pâtés, sausages and sauces. Since essential laurel oil has antiseptic properties, it is indispensable for canning. Bay leaf softens the taste of pickles and adds spice to marinades, and protects salted fish from “rusting”. Fish fat contains a lot of unsaturated fatty acids, which, when oxidized by atmospheric oxygen, spoil the taste of the product and give it a “rusty” color, and bay leaf has an antioxidant effect. Liqueurs and mead are flavored with this spice, and in some places in the East they make tea with it. The ubiquitous spice!
When to put in and when to take out? We have already found out that a rare dish does without a bay leaf, but with it, like with any spice, it must be handled skillfully. The existing bookmark rates vary from a leaflet per serving to a leaf per liter of water. At the same time, it is important that the lavrushka gives the dish its aroma, but leaves bitterness with it. Fortunately for us, essential oils are released before bitterness, and an unpleasant aftertaste can be avoided if the leaf is removed in time. Therefore, spice is added to the first dishes 5 minutes before readiness, and to the second - 7-10 minutes. William Pokhlebkin advised putting twice as much bay leaf as indicated in the recipe, but taking it out earlier. This technique allows you to get the first, most delicate fractions of the essential oil in sufficient quantities, instead of boiling a few leaves to the end.
What if you need more servings? The advice to double the dose of bay leaf is not always feasible. If dinner is being prepared for several people, then not three or four leaves, but a dozen, can be put in a large saucepan. But if you have to feed an entire factory shift (school, film crew, company staff), you will need a sack of leaves that will occupy the entire boiler, displacing the main contents from there. And the bay leaf, by the way, swells slightly when cooked. In this case, instead of leaves, a concentrated extract of laurel essential oils, obtained industrially, is used. If there is no extract, and there are many potential eaters, the required number of leaves is boiled separately, and expressed water is added to the soup.
How to collect, select and store? Laurel is an evergreen plant, but this does not mean that its leaves are immortal. In a humid climate, they live for two to four years, and then die off. The leaves must be collected at the age of one and a half to two years, when they are still alive and have already managed to accumulate a sufficient amount of aromatic substances that are so valued by people. Harvesting takes place in autumn, one hectare of laurel plantations yields up to four tons of leaves. The spice is cut off not by leaf, like tea, but by sprigs that are dried in the shade for 7-10 days. Such small laurel "brooms" are brought to our markets from those regions where laurel grows.
Dried leaves must be sorted, selecting only conditioned ones. High-quality leaves are matte, olive-colored, dried and green - fresh. Leaves should be intact, free of blemishes, and about the same size. Usually the leaflets are 2-3 cm wide and 5-6 cm long.
We do not always buy spices in the market, we have to do this in a store where bay leaves are sold in opaque packaging. Experts advise paying attention to the tightness of the bag and the expiration date of the product. Not the fact that all the leaves in the bag will be green, GOST allows the presence of up to 3% of yellow leaves and up to 6% of twigs. But pale or yellow leaves will only spoil the dish, giving it a bitter aftertaste, since the essential oils from them have already evaporated. Therefore, the purchased package must be immediately opened, sorted out and the whole high-quality leaves placed in a tightly closed container so that the aroma does not disappear. It is not recommended to store the spice for more than a year.
There are lovers who, not relying on the domestic food industry, grow noble laurel on their windowsill. Such leaves are also suitable as a seasoning if they are at least one and a half years old.
What is bean ointment? In April - May, the noble laurel blooms with small white or cream flowers, which are diligently visited by flies, wasps, bees, and occasionally even ants. As a result of their efforts, fruits are formed - ovoid juicy drupes up to 2 cm long, black and blue in color, alas, inedible. They smell pleasant, but they contain much less essential oil than the leaves, no more than 0.8%, but about 25% fatty oil, which is obtained by squeezing fresh laurel fruits. This oil consists mainly of the triglyceride lauric acid trilaurin, or simply laurin, and also contains small amounts of triglycerides of oleic, stearic, palmitic and myristic acids and an essential oil. This fragrant fatty ester product is green in color, thick and slightly grainy, called bean oil or bean ointment. Apply it only externally. In folk medicine, bean ointment is used to treat rheumatism, colds, neuralgia, spasms and scabies. Laurel oil is also used to make antiseptic soap, medical candles, it is used in veterinary medicine.
Recipe for a gift. The simplest dish with bay leaves is its infusion. Fifteen leaves are boiled for 5 minutes in 300 ml of water and allowed to brew for 3-4 hours in a thermos. The resulting drink should be filtered and taken in small portions throughout the day. You should do the same for two more days, then take a break for two weeks and repeat the course. Experts claim that the decoction strengthens the body, gives it strength and makes breathing easier, but warn that the recipe is not suitable for people prone to constipation.
L avrovy leaf - a symbol of the winners. In ancient Greece, they were awarded to athletes, emperors wore it in the form of a crown ... However, we are most concerned about the banal question of when it is right to add bay leaves to soup.
- Perfectly sets off the taste of first courses: soups, broths from meat, fish and vegetables.
- It is simply indispensable in the preparation of home preservation.
- Included in most prefabricated seasonings.
It would seem, what difficulties - threw it together and you're done. But not everything is so simple. A pair of harmless leaves may well either interrupt the main taste of the dish, or make it bitter.
What is the correct way to use bay leaf?
1. Add spice to dishes in moderation so that the aroma does not turn out to be sharp, at the rate of 1-2 leaves per liter of water or 3-4 servings of the dish.
2. Put bay leaves in and broths at the end of cooking, usually for 5-7 minutes, when stewing - for 10 minutes.
3. In the main dishes, it is possible to add spices at the beginning of cooking.
4. In vegetable broths, the amount of leaf may be minimal, as the main flavor comes from the vegetables.
5. The aroma and taste of chicken broth will be “lost” against the background of the bay leaf, so in this case it is not used. Similarly, it is not added to dairy dishes and sugary drinks.
7. In addition, many chefs advise adding lavrushka at the very last moment, when the dish is almost ready. So the seasoning will retain useful properties.
The price of this bay leaf is 625 thousand euros. Because he is from the crown of Napoleon. What have you achieved in this life?
How to choose a quality seasoning:
- Buy only whole, not crushed leaves - this way you can evaluate their quality.
- Choose leaves with a beautiful green-yellow color.
- Give preference to medium-sized leaves. Large ones can be an indicator of overripeness.
Interesting from "Pate": just imagine that the bay leaf settled on our planet at the same time as the dinosaurs! It is believed that the tree can live up to 400 years. And the famous spice has mystical properties and protects from the evil eye (well, if you believe, of course), and can give a prophetic dream if you put a few leaves under your pillow.
