Managing diabetes can sometimes feel like a chore. The level of diligence and attention one must pay to seemingly mundane aspects of life such as dietary intake and activity levels can become a real drag.
Managing diabetes often entails a hefty investment in expensive medical resources.
Among these is the plethora of drugs and pharmaceutical products meant to support and treat those with diabetes.
These drugs often come at a monetary cost as well as some associated side effects. But what if you could curb your reliance on synthetic drugs and opt for natural remedies?
If your answer is yes, bay leaf might be a useful spice to consider.
Bay Leaf General Benefits
When it comes to fragrant flavors, the bay leaf is among one of the most potent, aromatic herbs out there.
This leaf is gathered from the aptly named bay tree which is indigenous to the Mediterranean region.
But we aren’t here to talk about fine dining, because lurking within this special leaf
When it comes to inflammation, the bay leaf has you covered. Its ability to lower and protect against chronic inflammation is one of its many health benefits.
Inflammation causes a decrease in vital functionality and can lead to arthritis. But bay leaf inhibits the activity of certain enzymes and nitric oxide, both which increase in inflammation.
Bay leaf is also a known anti-fungal treatment. The chemical activity of the compounds in bay leaves disrupt the integrity of fungal cell walls.
This activity also extends to the astringent properties of the leaf. An astringent agent is a chemical that causes a structural tightening of soft tissues.
This is a key towards the healing of damaged or injured tissue. For this reason, bay leaf powder is a common wound remedy.
Last but certainly not least, bay leaf helps fight diabetes. We will look more in depth at how using bay leaf can help you improve type 2 diabetes.
The chemical compounds found in bay leaf have been shown to reduce the glucose (sugar) and lipid (fat) profiles in the blood.
Both factors that determine the prevalence of diabetes according to a report by the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition.
Top 4 Bay Leaf Benefits for Diabetes
1. Decreases Blood Glucose Levels
One of the main problems with type 2 diabetes is the chronic excess in blood glucose levels. Once you are living with type 2 diabetes, managing your blood sugar becomes a full-time job.
With many treatments and medical analyses protocols required in order to successfully manage blood sugar, it tends to take a large part of your time.
With bay leaf however, you can make life simpler when it comes to blood glucose management.
This potent herb has been shown to drastically improve blood glucose levels, helping bring them down from a hyperglycemic state.
This has a tremendous positive impact on your health with diabetes, having the potential to alleviate the condition.
2. Decrease LDL Cholesterol
Just as Bay leaf is shown to decrease blood sugar levels. It also has the amazing benefit of lowering LDL cholesterol levels.
Your body primarily deals with two forms of cholesterol. These are LDL and HDL. Contrary to what you may have believed in the past, not all cholesterol is bad.
In fact, when it comes to HDL cholesterol, it is vital to your health. You need it for many important functions like hormone production and cardiovascular health.
LDL cholesterol on the other hand, does quite the opposite. It leads to heart disease and hypertension, both conditions that further complicate diabetes.
The polyphenols in bay leaves help decrease LDL cholesterol levels, improving not just diabetes, but your health in general.
3. Improves Insulin Response
Another amazing attribute of the bay leaf is its ability to improve insulin activity. The complex assortment of polyphenols and other phytochemicals help the pancreatic beta cells (the cells responsible for insulin synthesis) produce more insulin.
This has a direct benefit towards combating one of the main complications associated with diabetes. Bay leaf also helps your cells respond more effectively to insulin.
The insulin response mechanism allows your cells to take up glucose and convert it into glycogen, the main energy storage molecule in your body.
This increase in sensitivity is vital to diabetes management. Improving it can be pivotal towards relieving or even reversing the effects of type 2 diabetes.
4. Boosts Weight Loss
Bay leaf has an amazing fat loss boosting quality. Since diabetes is classed as a metabolic syndrome disease, anything that helps boost the quality and function of your metabolism, including fat loss, will directly assist and improve the condition.
When combined with cinnamon, another potent antidiabetic spice, bay leaf can assist with weight loss.
Aside from lowering body fat, bay leaf and cinnamon tea also assists as a diuretic. This helps lower excess water retention, assisting with weight loss and improving blood pressure.
Things to Consider
While bay leaf sounds like an awesome one-stop-shop on your journey towards managing diabetes, you should be cautious of overdoing it.
The potent effect bay leaf has on lowering blood sugar can be a little too effective if overused.
Because bay leaf can drastically reduce blood sugar levels, it can easily lead to hypoglycemia, a state in which your blood sugar levels dip beyond healthy.
In extreme cases, hypoglycemia can severely affect your brain and potentially lead to permanent brain damage or seizures.
Make sure you do your research and consult a medical professional about what to use and how to use it.
In Conclusion
The famous bay leaf is undoubtedly an essential in your master chef arsenal, but more so, a necessity in your medicine cabinet.
The plethora of health benefits it possesses bring so much value to health in general, but especially to the health of those suffering from type 2 diabetes.
Bay leaf should be used mindfully, with full knowledge of the effects it can have on your health.
It’s always wise to consult your doctor for advice before undertaking any specific treatments for a serious illness like diabetes.
