 So, what are bay leaves? Before we fully jump in and start talking about bay leaf tea, it's really important to know exactly what we're talking about when we say bay leaves. There are actually a variety of different plants that have leaves referred to as bay leaves. But don't be fooled! True bay leaf is none other than Loris nobilis, the Laurel tree, and while other plants in the Laurel-Ace family have bay leaves, it's the Laurel bay, otherwise known as sweet bay, that is supposed to have the highest nutritional content. Making Bay Leaf Tea The most important thing to know when you're making bay leaf tea is this. It's dull. Yeah, it's really kind of lame. So if you want to enjoy the benefits of bay leaf tea, it's always best to bring some other friends to the party to help spruce up the flavor of that dull bay leaf tea. For some, it can be as simple as adding lemon to 3 or 4 bay leaves, but it's really even better if you mix it with other herbs like peppermint, rosemary, lavender, whatever floats your boat. Do people use that expression anymore? Float your boat? And make sure not to steep it longer than 3 to 5 minutes, otherwise it'll probably get bitter. Otherwise, enjoy! Digestion benefits As far back as the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans, bay leaf tea was used to help with digestion. And by most accounts, that is its primary benefit. According to a 2019 report, bay leaves give relief from abdominal pain, gastrointestinal infections, flatulence, bloating, constipation, and even diarrhea. The enzymes within bay leaves are particularly effective at dealing with things like bloating and gas. So if you're toot toot tooting just a little too much, bay leaf tea might be the answer for you. Being a diuretic, bay leaf tea also helps you relieve toxins from the body, helping not only the gastrointestinal system, but your kidneys as well. A 2014 study showed that bay leaf can also help with kidney stones, by reducing the amount of the evil bacteria known as urice. Respiratory benefits Speaking of bacteria, according to the biological and pharmaceutical bulletin, bay leaves have great antibacterial properties, which make it ideal for helping with coughs and colds. Bay leaf's primary respiratory benefits are believed to be strongest when using it as a poultice or salve. Bay leaf tea also promotes sweating. Is this good? Well, if you're wanting to break a fever, open your pores, or just release some toxins, yeah, it can be great! Hair Health Dandruff or dry skin got you down. While there is a lack of scientific evidence for this, there is a good amount of anecdotal evidence asserting that bay leaf tea can help with dry skin, or more specifically, dandruff. The primary way of doing this is by making some bay leaf tea, but this time, don't add anything else to it. Once it's cool, you'll then rub the tea into your scalp once you're done shampooing, keeping that scalp healthy and avoiding dandruff. Anti-microbial and antioxidant properties Bay leaf contains about 80 helpful compounds for your health. Don't mind all the scientific names, they're great for you. One study conducted at North Carolina A&T University showed how bay leaf is helpful against the dreaded salmonella and E. coli. It's massive antioxidants are also helpful for fighting off diseases and boosting your immune system. Anti-inflammatory benefits Bay leaves contain a unique phytonutrient called parthenolide. Parthenolide can quickly reduce inflammation from sore joints or arthritis. While you can get benefits by drinking bay leaf tea, it can be even more effective by applying it directly to the affected area. Bay leaves contain rutin, which strengthens capillary walls in the heart and in your limbs. It also has caffic acid, which can help eliminate bad cholesterol from your body. No cholesterol? That's a bad cholesterol. Bad! A study published in clinical biochemistry and nutrition found that one to three grams of bay leaves consumed daily was associated with 26% lower cholesterol levels. Research also indicates that bay leaf tea may help promote good cholesterol levels. Oh, who's a good little cholesterol? That's right. You're a good little good. You're a good little cholesterol, yes you are. The aforementioned bay leaf antioxidants are also great for your heart health, lowering risk of heart disease, and strokes. Anxiety and stress benefits The compound linolul is most often associated with herbs like cilantro, thyme, and basil. This compound helps lower stress hormones in the body, and luckily, bay leaves have linolul too. That's why we're talking about it. Now, it's currently believed that the strongest way to get the benefits of linolul is by using it as aromatherapy. But don't knock the bay leaf tea, it definitely can help you too. Diabetes benefits Research shows that taking one to three grams of bay leaf a day not only can help with cholesterol levels, but blood sugar levels too. At the moment, with more research needing to be done, all that researchers want to say right now is that bay leaf tea can help reduce the risk factors of type 2 diabetes. But alas, it doesn't necessarily stop it in its tracks. Cancer benefits There is some compelling research that shows how bay leaf can help fight against breast cancer. So far, studies have shown how it is helpful at killing cancer cells by aiding a poptosis. A pop mitardus? In addition, research published in nutrition and cancer suggests that bay leaf can help with rectal cancer as well. Other bay leaf benefits While it'd be great to sip bay leaf tea all day long and get some wonderful benefits, other benefits are much better when applying it directly to the skin or ingesting it in other ways. These other benefits include antifungal properties like stopping candida, wound healing capabilities, stopping boils, and even helping with epilepsy seizures. Psydefects As I've mentioned earlier, bay leaf is commonly associated with other types of plants. However, if you want to get the benefits I've just listed, you want to get some true bay leaf, which is derived from the laurel tree. Other varieties like mountain or cherry laurel can actually be toxic. So be certain that you're consuming the real laurel bay leaf. Luckily, bay leaf isn't widely known as an allergenic substance, but contact dermatitis and eczema breakouts have been sporadically reported. Some people may experience rashes, an itchy mouth, or a swollen tongue. So if you get any of these, sadly, bay leaf isn't your buddy. Best try out another herbal tea to make you happy. Though bear in mind, if you're allergic to other members of the loraceae family, there is a chance you're likely to be allergic to bay leaves as well. You may also slow down your central nervous system. So if you're going in for a surgery, it's suggested not to have bay leaf or bay leaf tea before doing so, as it can mess with the anesthesia or other medications. Beyond that, having bay leaf as a tea is considered very safe when taken in normal amounts. If you want to swallow the whole leaf though, that's another story. As bay leaves tend to stay intact in your digestive system and can become lodged in, or even break the lining of your throat or intestines. Well, what do you know? I have been eating spaghetti for decades and didn't know that's the reason I'm supposed to remove my bay leaves from the spaghetti. Well, there you go. The more you know. Have you tried bay leaf tea before? If so, do you mix it with anything to make it more palatable? Let me know in the comments down below. If you want to learn more about the benefits of other teas, then watch either of these fine videos right here. Please, be kind. Take care of each other. I'm going to head off and get a nice tasty tea. You got some bay leaves that can borrow? I'm out.