Curry leaves are one of the signature spices of Indian cuisine. The flavorful leaves, which grow on shrubs common throughout the southern and western part of India, are traditionally chopped, fried and added to a variety of soups, stews and sauces. Curry leaves are a rich source of Vitamin A and calcium, and traditional Indian medicine has used the leaves as a treatment for many common health problems. Science has studied and validated a number of of those practices.
Digestion
Generations of Indian people have used curry leaves to boost digestion. Practitioners of ayurveda, India's traditional system of medicine, believe the aroma and taste of the leaves affect saliva glands and trigger secretions which help the body digest food. Curry leaves also act as a mild laxative. The leaves are sometimes added to buttermilk and consumed as an after-dinner drink. Morning sickness and other types of severe nausea are treated with a paste made of curry leaves, sugar and lime juice.
Diabetes
In 2004, a team of researchers from Kings College London announced some promising results from a study on curry leaves and their effect on diabetics. Their study showed that curry leaves contain an ingredient that decreases the rate in which diabetics convert starch into glucose. Scientists who took part in the study believe that curry leaves may be able to regulate the amount of glucose that enters the bloodstream.
Bites, Burns and Bruises
In Southern India, traditional healers have long used curry leaves to treat insect bites, burns and other minors injuries. A 2009 study from the Adichunchanagiri Biotechnology and Cancer Research Institute sheds some light on the success of the practice. Curry leaves have a strong antibacterial protein that fights infection as effectively as commercially produced medications. They also have an anti-inflammatory agent that treats and soothes injured skin.
Oral Health
Indian researchers have also found that the antibacterial qualities in curry leaves can reduce halitosis and keep gum tissue clean and healthy. A study recommends soaking chopped leaves in water and using it as a mouthwash. People who held a whole curry leaf in their mouths for several minutes saw the same benefits.
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