Curry Leaves–Healthy Review

Curry leaves are one of the most important natural flavouring agents with a wide range of health benefits, which makes your food both healthy and tasty along with pleasing aroma. They contain antioxidant properties and have the ability to control diarrhea, gastrointestinal problems such as indigestion, excessive acid secretion, peptic ulcers, dysentery, diabetes and an regulate cholesterol balance. They are also believed to have anti-cancer properties and are known to help protect the liver.

In Ayurveda, curry leaves are believed to have numerous medicinal values like as anti-diabetic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and hepato-protective properties. The roots are used for treating body aches and the bark is used for snake bite relief.

The leaves, with their vast herbal properties, are used in various local cuisines across India and other parts of Asia as one of the flavoring agents. Curry leaves resemble “NEEM or Indian lilac and their name in most Indian languages translates to ‘Sweet Neem’

Nutritional Value of Curry Leaves

The major nutrients found in curry leaves are Carbohydrates, Fiber, Calcium, Phosphorous, Iron, Magnesium, Copper and Minerals.  It also contains various vitamins like  nicotinic acid and vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C,  vitamin E, antioxidants, plant sterols, amino acids, glycosides and flavonoids. Also, nearly zero fat (0.1 g per 100 g) is found in curry leaves.

Some of the other chemical constituents present in curry leaves include carbazole alkaloids. Carbazole alkaloids include mahanimbine, murrayanol, mahanineoenimbine, O-methylmurrayamine A, O-methylmahanine, isomahanine, bismahanine and bispyrayafoline. . Further studies revealed that these chemicals had insecticidal and antimicrobial properties as well, specifically mosquitocidal properties.

Health Benefits of Curry Leaves:

Most of the time, we throw away the curry leaves from food, during eating, thinking that they just add flavor to food, but it’s not true, apart from adding flavor to the food, it adds many benefits like :

Stops Diarrhea: Research reveals that the carbazole alkaloids which are present in curry leaves have anti-diarrheal properties. A bunch of curry leaves can be ground up and the paste can be eaten or the juice of the leaves can be consumed.

Gastrointestinal Protection: As per Ayurveda the use of curry leaves is strongly recommended as it cures gastrointestinal related problems, as they are considered to possess mild laxative properties. Making juice out of curry leaves and adding lime juice can be beneficial. This mixture is to be consumed for indigestion or a paste made from the leaves can be added to buttermilk and taken every morning on an empty stomach.

Antioxidant Properties: Research reveals 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. Curry leaves can be added to your curries and soups. They are also available in dried powder form.

Anti-Diabetic Properties: The biggest health benefit of curry leaves is because of its anti-diabetic activity.

Anti-Cancer: The chemical constituents found in curry leaves such as phenols are helpful in combating cancers like as leukemia, prostate and colorectal cancers. Research on curry leaves at the Department of Medical Chemistry at Mejio University, Japan showed evidence of cancer fighting properties in the carbazole alkaloids extract from curry leaves.

Lowers Cholesterol Levels:  Curry leaves are also known to reduce bad LDL cholesterol level. Studies conducted at the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Kerala, India have shown that curry leaves have the potential to reduce LDL cholesterol levels.

Good for Hair Growth: Curry leaves are believed to help in strengthening hair roots. Dry curry leaf powder mixed in oils can be applied to your hair. The paste from curry leaves can also be applied in cases of grey hair. Applying these on a regular basis can improve hair growth as well.

Good for Eyesight: Curry leaves large amounts of vitamin A and are therefore good for eyesight. Vitamin A contains carotenoids which protect the cornea, which is the eye surface. Deficiency of vitamin A may cause night blindness, cloud formations in front of the eye and even the loss of vision loss in some cases.

Protects Against Pathogenic Attacks: Research on curry leaves has revealed that they are effective in fighting bacterial and fungal infections. The leaf extracts from the plant have been comparable to popular, mainstream antibiotic drugs.

Protects the Liver:  Liver plays a major role in the digestive system and therefore needs to be protected from any attack by free radicals, as well as viral and bacterial attacks that can result in infection. Research on curry leaves has shown that the tannins and carbazole alkaloids present in curry leaves exhibited good hepato-protective properties and they are also helpful in protecting the liver from various diseases such as hepatitis and cirrhosis.

Skin care: Curry leaves are also helpful in skin care. The juice or paste of the leaves can be applied on burns, cuts, brusies, skin irritations and insect bites for quicker healing.

Home Remedies with Curry Leaves:

1. Curry leaf juice is good for digestion and controls acidity.
2. A decoction of curry leaf root and ginger is beneficial for stomach ache. Curry leaf paste mixed with buttermilk is very an effective remedy for stomach upset.
3. Curry leaf juice with Elachi/Cardamom powder can be used for Urinary problems.
4. Eating the raw green leaves helps to control dysentery and the infusion prepared with washed leaves stops vomiting.
5. The branches of the plant can be used as tooth brush to clean the teeth and also to strengthen the gums.
6. Dried curry leaves consumed with lukewarm water or milk helps in curing chronic anemia.
7. The mixture of curry leaf paste and fresh turmeric rhizome/root is an effective remedy for allergies due to respiratory problems.
8. Add fresh curry leaves to hair oils and boiling the oil for few minutes till a black residue obtains, and this preparation acts as a good hair tonic and helps in hair growth and premature graying.