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Healthy Diet Plans >>  Health Food >>  Curry Leaves Health Benefits

Curry Leaves Health Benefits


Curry leaves are extremely popular in various culinary recipes in the Indian subcontinent at acts flavor and aroma to vegetables and curries. Crash curry leaves are shiny and dark green in color and have a distinctive aroma and taste to it. Curry leaves recipe involved the use of fresh curry is as well as powdered curry leaves to enhance the flavor of salads, chutneys and spices. The health benefits of curry leaves include improved functioning of the small intestine and stomach, improved quality of digestive juices during digestion, and increased salivary secretion. Most Indian dishes are devoid without the addition of curry leaves and hence any form of curry substitute in its place does not match to the real thing.
Indians usually require fresh curry leaves in their diet. The curry leaf plant belongs to the Rutaceae family and grows to anything between 2 to 5 meters in height, depending on a number of factors. The leaves of the curry plant are small and pointed and usually grow in clusters. The leaves have a strong aroma, reminding one of anise and citrus.

Kidney Problem:

Curry leaves health benefits also include relief from kidney pain, treatment of minor superficial skin injuries, and managing diabetes. The bark and root of the curry leaves plant is believed to hold medicinal properties as some herbalists claim that the powdered form of the bark and root can be used for a variety of disorders including treating diabetes; however further research is needed to verify these claims and hence diabetes patients must not rely solely on curry leaves as a form of treatment. Curry leaf health benefits also include reliving related to the kidneys. Bilious vomiting can be controlled with the help of the bark of the curry leaves tree. Take some dry bark and make a decoction with cold water and give this to the patient for quick relief.

Skin Care:

Curry leaves can be quite beneficial for your hair as well and when boiled in cow’s milk provides relief from skin infection and heat rash. You can also grind it into a fine paste and add a little bit of turmeric on it. Apply this paste on skin that has acne for a couple of days and the result is clear and glowing skin.

The herb also possesses the qualities of the herbal tonic and can be consumed along with honey of buttermilk in strengthening the functions of the digestive system. As a treatment for diarrhea and dysentery, tender green curry leaves to work effectively when with honey. The root and the bark of the curry leaves tree is also used by some herbalists in treating bilious vomiting. As an external application curry leaves can be used as a poultice to treat skin eruptions and minor skin infections.

Eye Disorder:

The fresh juice of curry leaves are also used as an eye treatment for certain eye disorders, especially in arresting the development of cataract. Traditional practitioners suffuse the fresh extract of curry leaves in the eyes of patients who suffer from bad eyesight thus helping them to prevent early development of eye disorders. The fruit of the curry leaves tree are believed to be edible and also possess medicinal properties when used as an external application for insect bites and stings of poisonous creatures. The juice of the fruits is blended with an equal quantity of lemon juice and is used to apply on the bites for instant and immediate relief.

Stomach Disorders:

Folk wisdom has long recommended using curry leaves for a variety of stomach disorders, from diarrhea to vomiting. Tender curry leaves (plucked fresh, if possible) are mixed with natural honey and consumed to ease any stomach discomfort or indigestion. They can also be mixed with other mild herbs to create a healthy herbal tea. Some people claim this soothes the intestines and works as a laxative. Other healthy curry leaves recipes start by grinding curry leaves to release all the active ingredients. This paste can be mixed with warm water or mildly spiced buttermilk to ensure smooth digestion. This drink also cools down the body and provides relief from fatigue. Curry leaves paste can also be used as a poultice to cure minor skin infections and insect bites. Medical studies are underway to investigate claims that the bark and roots of the curry plant contain active ingredients useful to diabetics and kidney disease. Fats can be flushed out of your system with the help of curry leaves.

Cholesterol And Weight Reduction:

Eat a few curry leaves for cholesterol reduction every morning on an empty stomach. Bad cholesterol levels in your body can be brought down by this simple remedy. You can also use curry leaves for weight loss. Those looking forward to reduce weight can do so by liberally consuming curry leaves. Those looking forward to seeing some quick curry leaves health benefits must also make sure they follow a proper diet and exercise regularly.

Pregnancy:

Expectant mothers have also been using curry leaves to reduce the discomfort of morning sickness. This condition is usually seen in the first trimester of pregnancy. The changes in a pregnant woman’s hormones cause nausea that may lead to vomiting. A boiled essence of the bark is used to control nausea and prevent excessive vomiting. Chewing on fresh curry leaves is also beneficial for nausea, though the taste may be slightly bitter. Since there are no curry leaves side effects, this cure for morning sickness is safe for both mother and child. A chemical analysis of the leaves shows that they consist of over 60 percent moisture. The rest is made of a mixture of carbohydrates, fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Many of these are directly responsible for the health benefits you experience.

Hair Care:

Using curry leaves for hair problems such as dandruff, hair fall, and graying hair can be extremely beneficial. Here’s one way you can use curry leaves for hair growth. Boil some curry leaves, hibiscus flowers, gooseberry, and basil leaves in some coconut oil and cool. Apply this oil to your scalp; leave it on for about half an hour, and then shampoo. Here’s another way you can use curry leaves for gray hair.

  • Heat some oil and put some curry leaves in it.
  • Let the curry leaves turn to dark brown, and then remove it from the heat.
  • Let this cool, and once cooled, put it in a glass container.
  • You can apply this oil regularly on your scalp and leave it for the night.

This will not only help nourish your hair roots but will also prevent your hair from premature aging. The new hair root that grows is with a normal pigment and is healthier. It is believed that consuming curry leaves regularly can help give you strong, thick and dark hair. Another good remedy involving the use of curry leaves for hair loss requires that you take a fistful of curry leaves and pound them into a pulp. Boil this with some coconut milk till you get oil. This oil is excellent for your hair you can use to nourish your scalp and ensure the longevity, color, and luster of your hair. You can also use curry leaves to treat dandruff in a similar manner. Another way to ensure that your hair grows long is by making a paste with fenugreek leaves, China rose, and curry leaves, and applying it to your hair regularly. This will also make your hair black and shiny.

Curry Leaves Nutrition Facts


The nutritional benefits of curry leaves or the curry leaves nutritional value is something we need to be aware off as well. Curry leaves contain iron, calcium, vitamin C, and phosphorous. It is also high in proteins, carbohydrates and fibers. The health benefits of eating curry leaves as you can see are many. If you do not like consuming it directly, use it in a powdered form to in salads and sauces. Curry powder benefits are similar to those of curry leaves. Curry leaves are best when used fresh. You can also freeze them and keep them for future use. However, make sure you do not take them off the stalk as they will lose their flavor if you do so. From a scientific point of view, curry leaves contain 2.6% oil, beta-gurjenene, beta-caryophyllene, beta-elemene, beta-thujene, beta-phellandrene, alpha-selinene, beta-transocimene, beta-transocimene and beta-cadinene.

Uses In Cooking:

Most curry leaves recipes concentrate on the flavor of this magical herb. However, you can extract the curry leaves health benefits if you follow the right cooking technique. For example, some people cook curry leaves in coconut oil until they are blackened and withered. The active ingredients are now infused into the coconut oil. Fresh curry leaves can be found at specialized food stores, while most supermarkets only carry packaged curry powder. However, this product has little to do with curry leaves health benefits. Commercial curry powders are a mix of different kinds of spices, which add certain flavor to curry-based food dishes. Such powders have helped to spread East Asian flavors across the globe. A famous example is the chicken tikka masala, whose popularity has made it the national dish of Great Britain. However, in most cases, curry leaves are not even an ingredient of a packaged curry powder. It is safe to say that curry powder health benefits are not linked to the wonder plant that gives us curry leaves.

Submitted on January 16, 2014