Bay Leaves
Fresh bay leaves were used for flavoring by the ancient Greeks
Bay leaves is a fixture in the cooking of many European cuisines particularly those of the Mediterranean, as well as in the Americas. They are used in soups, stews, meat, seafood, vegetable dishes, and sauces. The leaves are most often used whole (sometimes in a bouquet garni) and removed before serving they can be abrasive in the digestive tract. Thai cuisine employs bay leaf in a few Arab-influenced dishes, notably massaman curry.
Bay leaf is one of the oldest herbs or spice. It is native of Asia Minor. These leaves have aromatic odor and are bitter and spicy.
Benefits
It has been traditionally used to facilitate digestion and as an expectorant and spasmolytic. It can improve digestion according to some studies: bay leaves have a very strong effect on the gastrointestinal system, both stimulating urination as a diuretic, which decreases the toxicity of the body and stimulates vomiting (as an emetic) when something toxic has been consumed.
The essential oil has been used topically as a pediculicide and rubefacient.
Treat respiratory conditions: bay leaves have antibacterial properties.
Fact Sheet
| Description | Bay Leaves are evergreen shrub or dried leaves whose upper surface is glabrous , shiny, olive green, and lower surface is dull olive to brown. The leaf size ranges from 2.5 to 7.5 cms in length and 1.6 to 2.5 cms in breadth. The shape of the leaf is elliptical. |
| Packing and presentation |
Primary • Perforated transparent polypropylene bags of 1 American. • Bags per box of 12 Pounds, 14 Pounds, 15 Pounds. • Traceability: Block, line, day, classification line, Classifier code. Secondary • Product in corrugated cardboard boxes of dimensions: 105cm long, 25.5cm wide and 18.5cm high. • Full: 2 boxes duly zunched. • Exporter`s data. • Net weight. • Country of origin. |
| Conditions of storage and transportation | Storage temperature: 0 ° C - 4 ° C. |
| Shelf life | Between 15 to 20 days. |
How can you use fresh bay leaves?
Bay leaves are not generally eaten but are rather simmered in a sauce or included in a braising liquid, and then removed before serving.
In addition to simmering them in soups and stews, bay leaves are great for stuffing into the cavity of a chicken before roasting it, and they can be added to the liquid for cooking rice.