Bay Leaves (Tej Patta) - The Diabetes Friendly Spice!
WHatWhat comes to your mind first when you hear the words 'Bay Leaf or Bay Leaves?
You would say, why such a simple question? It is one type of commonly used spice.
But did you know, Bay or laurel, was famed in ancient Greece and Rome Emperors, heroes, and poets wore wreaths of laurel leaves?
Not only this, the Bay leaf tree is considered sacred and a symbol of honor in some countries.
The bay tree is indigenous to Asia Minor, from where it spread to the Mediterranean and then to other countries with similar climates.
According to legend, the Delphi oracle chewed bay leaves or sniffed the smoke of burning leaves to promote her visionary trances.
What is Bay Leaf?
Bay leaves are aromatic leaves commonly used in Indian cooking. Its scientific name is Laurus nobilis and it is commonly called Tej Patta.
Bay leaves are fragrant leaves from the laurel tree which are available whole either fresh or dried or ground into a powder.
The main benefit of bay leaves is that they can enhance the taste of your meals without adding sodium. Calorie-wise, a one-tablespoon serving of bay leaves provides about 5 calories, primarily in the form of carbohydrates.
Nutritional facts of Tej Patta
Bay leaves contain micronutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese, iron, and calcium.
This spice has many volatile active components such as a-pinene, ß-pinene, myrcene, limonene, linalool, methyl chavicol, neral, a-terpineol, geranyl acetate, eugenol, and chavicol.
These compounds are known to have been *antiseptic, antioxidant, digestive, and thought to have anti-cancer properties*.
Fresh leaves are a very rich source of vitamin C; provide 46.5 mg or 77.5% of RDA per 100 g.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is one of the powerful natural antioxidants that help remove harmful free radicals from the body.
Ascorbic acid also has an immune booster, wound healing, and antiviral effects.
Bay leaf benefits in diabetes-
1) They help in improving digestion by treating digestive disorders and also help in:
· Lumps
· Heartburn
· Acidity
· Constipation
· Regulate bowel movements
· Help in insulin production
· Eliminate bad cholesterol and relieve the body from triglycerides.
· Lower blood sugar
· Act as an antioxidant
· Responsible for improving insulin function
2) Heart-Friendly - Organic compounds including caffeic acid and rutin that are found in bay leaves enhance heart health.
They both strengthen capillary walls in the heart and further eliminate LDL or bad cholesterol from the cardiovascular system.
Protects the heart from seizures and strokes, as they contain cardiovascular protective compounds.
3) Act as a stress-buster - Adding more bay leaves into the diet will act as a stress-buster.
The presence of linalool can lower the level of stress hormones in the body. These leaves help calm down and combat symptoms of depression.
Tej Patta uses-
* Diabetics will benefit by eating or drinking bay leave tea for a month.
* Bay leaves can be effectively used in soups, vegetable dishes, and sauces.
Thus, bay leaves can be effectively used by diabetics as they are highly beneficial in addressing various factors that can directly or indirectly lead to diabetes.
Freedom from Diabetes blog section does not stop giving information only about bay leaves but it provides ample information concerning diabetes-friendly foods like banana stem, fenugreek, cherries, and much more. Do visit our blog for such health-related information. You can visit our official Instagram page because we regularly post new and unique recipes which are diabetes-friendly recipes.
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