The laurel it is a plant that the Greeks and Romans considered sacred to Apollo, father of Aesculapius – god of medicine – and they used its fronds to make real crowns that poets and leaders wore as a symbol of wisdom and glory. It belongs to the Lauraceae family, widespread in the Mediterranean and mainly known as an aromatic plant to be used in the kitchen. But actually there‘laurel it boasts important healthy properties that perhaps not everyone knows. It heals the intestines, purifies the bronchi and, thanks to the mineral salts it contains, it also strengthens the bones. In case of feverish states it can be an important aid, no less effective than the best known pharmaceutical antipyretics on the market.
• The active principles of laurel
• The properties of the laurel
• Laurel helps to lose weight
• The therapeutic use of laurel
• How to use
• The ointment with laurel berries
• How to grow laurel
• Laurel is also a powerful natural insecticide
• Contraindications
The active principles of laurel
The leaves of this evergreen plant are rich in active ingredients. Cueugenol and eucalyptol are essential oils capable of stimulating digestion, simultaneously promoting the elimination of gas at the gastrointestinal level. The dried leaves provide protection from free radicals. The presence of vitamin C also strengthens the immune system. In the leaves, also widely used in the kitchen, we find:
– caffeic acidessential for lowering the so-called bad cholesterol
– routineessential for the health of blood capillaries
– potassiuma natural pressure regulator
– ferrocapable of maintaining high hemoglobin levels
The properties of the laurel:
• Aromatic;
• Appetizers;
• Digestive;
• Carminative;
• expectorants;
• Sweating;
• Anti-inflammatory;
• Repellents.
Bay leaf helps to lose weight
Drinking the laurel infusion, in addition to promoting the disposal of excess liquids, increases the metabolism making the absorption of nutrients more efficient. Furthermore, thanks to its healing power, the infusion acts at the level of the loops of the intestinal walls, in which micro-organisms are created over time which tend to favor the faster absorption of sugars and fats. With the consumption of the drink it is possible to repair these microtraumas, allowing a more correct and slower absorption of the food (also promoting the sense of satiety), with a consequent loss of weight.
The therapeutic use of laurel
Laurel is traditionally used to relieve colic and stomach ailments, to aid digestion, to help expel gas from the gastrointestinal tract, in the presence of meteorism or aerophagia. Both the leaves and the berries exert a diaphoretic action, useful for stimulating sweating, in case of fever and flu; and expectorant, indicated to eliminate bronchial catarrh and in case of cough. In external use, the fresh berries are used to prepare laurel oil (or laurinate oil), with an anti-inflammatory, haemostatic and astringent effect, extremely effective for soothing rheumatism, arthritis, muscle pain or to facilitate the resumption of use of joints after plaster casts, against traumas of various kinds, bruises and hematomas. Finally, the lauric acid contained in the leaves has natural repellent properties against insects and parasites.
Other benefits
The consumption of this extraordinary drink also allows you to relax the body and mind, promoting sleep. For those who have insomnia problems, or who wake up several times during the night, there is a combined option with the classic chamomile, to which a couple of bay leaves will be added. Other combinations having the same digestive effect can be bay leaf and lemon, bay leaf and cloves, bay leaf and ginger and finally bay leaf and turmeric.
How to use the infusion of laurel
With dried leaves
10 to 20 grams of bay leaves per liter of water
Pour the bay leaf into the boiling water and turn off the heat. Cover and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. After having filtered the infusion, it can also be drunk hot. The drink promotes digestion, especially in subjects who complain of fermentation problems, also helping in cases of inappetence, then fighting stomach pains and flu. The drink is also a stimulating tonic, an antiseptic and a natural expectorant that allows you to effectively counteract seasonal ailments. As with anything, you shouldn’t overdo it. Every day it is possible to drink up to a maximum of 3 cups of infusion (as regards the version with cinnamon, it is not recommended to exceed 2 cups a day. Coumarin can be toxic).
With fresh leaves
Dried bay leaves are very practical but, given the choice, the best option is to consume fresh leaves. In this case you can use them, but pay attention to the doses. It is advisable to use 3 or 4 medium-sized fresh sheets, carefully cleaned from the central vein, for every 250 ml of water. The preparation is simple: pour the water into a saucepan and add the fresh bay leaves, boil for 10 minutes. Leave to cool and filter. The infusion is ready but, remember, also in this case the recommended dose is 3 cups a day.
The ointment with laurel berries
Laurel berry oil, also known as Ointment of Salvation, turns out to be an effective natural remedy for the treatment of some problems such as rheumatism, arthrosis, osteoporosis, sciatica and gout. The nuns, who skilfully prepare this ointment with laurel berries and bee venom, are the ones who animate the Monastery of Orte. Benedictine nuns also recommended it to reduce swelling in the joints.
How to grow laurel
The cultivation of laurel is generally carried out in the autumn period and can take place either by planting the seeds, after scarification, or by planting a small shoot that has just sprouted from a shrub. The soil must be soft, well drained and not excessively rich in nutrients. Since it is a Mediterranean plant that loves the sun, it is good to choose a sunny position but, an important detail, sheltered from cold winds. However, the growth of laurel is very slow: its size increases by about 20 centimeters every year. Laurus nobilis is a plant that does not need large quantities of water. It should be watered abundantly every 2-3 weeks, to then be left alone in order to drain the soil and avoid water stagnation in the most absolute way.
Laurel is a powerful natural insecticide
The lauric acid contained in the leaves is unwelcome to insects and parasites. If you are not fond of chemical insecticides, you could make a natural one by putting 80 ml of distilled water, 20 ml of pure alcohol, 5 drops of essential oil of laurel, mint and marjoram (total of 15 drops) in a plastic bottle. By spraying the compound in the rooms of the house you will immediately notice the disappearance of flies and mosquitoes.
Contraindications
Laurel is an amazing plant, but not everyone can take it lightly. Those suffering from ulcers or gastritis, those who use antibiotics, as well as pregnant women, must avoid the bay leaf infusion because it is dangerous. In all cases of subjects affected by specific conditions, or suffering from particular pathologies, it is advisable to consult your doctor first.