Curry leaves are not just to add flavour to your meals, they have vital benefits for health. Below are the health benefits of curry leaves:
1. Weight Loss
Curry leaves may help with weight loss, thanks to the presence of the carbazole alkaloids mentioned above, which may prevent weight gain and lower LDL cholesterol. You can add dried or fresh curry leaves to your food or you can directly munch on the dried curry leaves.
2. Alleviate Diarrhea
Research shows that the carbazole alkaloids present in curry leaves have antidiarrheal properties. Experiments on lab rats showed that carbazole extracts from curry leaves significantly controlled castor oil-induced diarrhea. Consume them by grinding up one bunch of curry leaves, and eat the paste or the juice of the leaves.
3. Treat Indigestion
In Ayurveda, it is thought that the use of curry leaves can be used as a cure for gastrointestinal issues as they are considered to possess mild laxative properties. You can make juice out of a bunch of curry leaves, add lime juice, and consume the mixture to alleviate indigestion. A paste made from the leaves can also be added to buttermilk and taken every morning on an empty stomach to serve the same function.
4. Prevent Nausea & Morning Sickness
It is thought in many cultures that curry leaves help in preventing nausea, vomiting, and morning sickness. They also help provide relief from morning sickness and nausea to women in their first trimester of pregnancy.
5. Fight Infection
Research on curry leaves has revealed that they are effective in fighting bacterial and fungal infections due to the presence of carbazole alkaloids. This compound is known to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. The leaf extracts from the plant have been comparable to popular mainstream antibiotic drugs.
6. Anti-diabetic Properties
Perhaps one of the biggest health benefits of curry leaves is their use in diabetes control.
Research cited in an International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences showed that the anti-hyperglycemic properties of the leaves were beneficial in controlling blood glucose level in diabetic rats.
7. Good for Eyesight
Curry leaves contain high amounts of vitamin A, which is beneficial for eyesight, according to experts. Vitamin A contains carotenoids which protect the cornea and the eye surface. Deficiency of vitamin A may cause night blindness, cloud formations in front of the eye, and even loss of vision in some cases.
8. Fight Oxidative Stress
A research study published in the journal Food Chemistry has indicated that curry leaves are a good source of antioxidants. The presence of various vitamins like vitamin A, B, C, and E help in reducing oxidative stress and free radical scavenging activity.
9. Heal Wounds
Curry leaves are also helpful in skin care. The juice or paste of the leaves can be applied to burns, cuts, bruises, skin irritations, and insect bites for an expedient recovery and clean healing.
10. Fight Cancer
The chemical constituents found in curry leaves such as phenols are helpful in fighting cancers such as leukemia, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancers. One research study showed evidence of colon cancer-fighting properties in the carbazole alkaloids extracts from curry leaves.
11. Lower Cholesterol Levels
These leaves have been shown to have positive effects on reducing LDL or bad cholesterol levels. Studies have shown that they have the potential to reduce LDL cholesterol levels, but further research is needed to confirm the results.
12. Hair Care
Curry leaves are believed to help in strengthening hair roots. Dry curry leaf powder mixed with oil can be applied to your hair. The paste from curry leaves can also be applied in cases of gray hair to slow the graying process. Doing these on a regular basis can improve hair growth as well.
13. Protect the Liver
Your liver plays a major role in the digestive process. Curry leaves can help offer a boost of protection from any attack by free radicals, as well as from viral and bacterial attacks that can result in infection. Research on curry leaves has indicated that the tannins and carbazole alkaloids present in the leaves exhibited good hepatoprotective properties.
