The bay leaf has always been that secret ingredient that all good cooks know to throw into the mix. It brings about a depth of flavor that is hard to replicate while requiring absolutely no effort at all (except for the flick of the wrist when you toss it in).
But did you know that the bay leaf has been used for medicinal purposes since the beginning of recorded time, as well?
Neither did I. It’s true, though. The bay leaf actually has a lot to offer by way of health properties.
Here are 5 reasons why you should consider adding the bay leaf to your food if you’re diabetic.
#1 Lowers Blood Sugar Levels
Bay leaf has been rumored to improve insulin function, so one group of researchers wanted to see exactly how effective it might be in affecting blood sugar levels. They split participants into four groups and gave three of the groups varying levels of ground bay leaf, and the fourth group had a placebo for good scientific practices.
All three treatment groups showed incredible improvements in their glucose levels, no matter the dosage of bay leaf. These participants all maintained their regular diabetes medication during the trial, which means that you can reap the same benefits without having to take the risk of stopping your medication quite yet.
#2 Lowers Bad Cholesterol, Increases Good Cholesterol
In the same study mentioned above, the authors also noticed that the three treatment groups had some good things happening to their cholesterol levels, as well. After 30 days of consuming ground bay leaf, the participants experienced a decrease in low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and an increase in high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (good cholesterol).
#3 High in Antioxidants
Bay leaves, like many of nature’s plants, are full of antioxidants. The antioxidants found in 
bay leaves protects the brain and heart against diabetes damage while also boosting the immune system and increasing healing time in cuts and scrapes.
It can be used orally and topically, depending on where you want to use the antioxidant power. For seriously potent antioxidant properties, try using bay leaf essential oil in a tea or smoothie.
#4 Improves Digestion
Bay leaf is a natural detoxifier as it works as a diuretic. It also has been used for centuries to help soothe upset stomachs and to provide relief from gas and bloating. Some studies have even shown to help with symptoms in serious digestive cases such as celiac disease.
#5 Helps Fight Cancer
Not that diabetes is necessarily cancer-related, but who doesn’t love a good cancer-fighting herb? Recent research discovers that cancer cells injected with bay leaf compounds died off more rapidly than cancer cells that were not injected. Obviously, there is always more research to be done by way of cancer treatment and prevention, but this goes to show that the bay leaf is a pretty powerful ingredient to have in the pantry.
Who knew that there was so much potential in the little bay leaf? Well, it turns out that there is, and there is hardly anything you need to do except add it to your meals!
[expand title=”References“]
Dr. Axe. URL Link. Accessed April 3, 2017.
Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition. URL Link. Accessed April 3, 2017.
Foods. URL Link. Accessed April 3, 2017.
Livestrong. URL Link. Accessed April 3, 2017.
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