Curry leaves sometimes referred to as "Kadi Patta" in India, are an indigenous plant species found in that nation.
The vibrant leaves have a distinct flavor and a lovely scent, and they have a blazing green color. It originated in both tropical and subtropical climates. It is also grown commercially in several other countries, including China, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Australia, Nigeria, and Ceylon.
It is utilized in a wide variety of south Asian regional cuisines. The leaves of this aromatic plant are most commonly used to decorate dishes or to give flavor to food. It is frequently utilized in the preparation of soups and curries. Curry leaves are the most distinctive form of curry spice used in southern India.
Rasam, sambar, upma, and curries are just a few of the cuisines that make use of this ingredient. It is commonly used in dals across India to make "tadka," which translates to "to bring flavor and scent to the dish."
It is also frequently utilized in the production of herbal medications. Curry plant roots are used in Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of bodily aches, and curry plant bark is utilized for the treatment of pain caused by snake bites.
Nutritional Facts of Curry Leaves
Carbohydrates, energy, fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, and minerals are the primary types of nutrients that can be found in curry leaves. They are an excellent source of vitamins A, B, C, and B2. There is some evidence that curry leaves contain significant amounts of iron and calcium. In addition to vitamins, such as nicotinic acid, they also include flavonoids, antioxidants, amino acids, and other nutrients.
The nutritional values of curry leaves per 100 grams are:
- Energy - 108.000 K cal
- Carbohydrates - 18.700 gm
- Moisture - 63.800 gm
- Fiber - 6.400 gm
- Protein - 6.100 gm
- Minerals- 4.000 gm
- Calcium - 830.000 mg
- Phosphorus - 57.000 mg
- Iron - 0.930 mg
- Copper - 0.100 mg
- Magnesium - 44.000 mg
- Zinc - 0.200 mg
- Manganese - 0.150 mg
- Chromium - 0.006 mg
- Thiamine - 0.080 mg
- Vitamin C - 4.000 mg
Carbazole alkaloids are a unique component that can be found in curry leaves. The anti-oxidant activities of these alkaloids have been observed in a great number of research studies. They contribute to the reduction of oxidative stress that occurs within your body. In addition, they have qualities that are anti-inflammatory as well as anti-microbial.
Curry leaves have a trace amount of fat in their composition. (0.1 g per 100 g)
What are the health benefits of Curry Leaves?
Curry leaves, a type of spice that is widely used in India, are also famous for the therapeutic qualities that they possess. It contains hepatoprotective qualities in addition to anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, and anti-diabetic properties. Both Ayurvedic medicine and home cures often make use of curry leaves as an ingredient.
The following is a list of the key benefits to one's health that curry leaves can provide. It is also important to remember that these benefits are presented with the most recently harvested organic curry leaves in mind.
1. Helps in getting rid of Free Radicals
The presence of free radicals in the body is linked to a wide variety of adverse health effects. Curry leaves are packed with antioxidants, which are known to help protect cells in the body from any form of damage that may be caused by free radicals.
2. Helps in lowering Cholesterol Levels
Oxidation of cholesterol leads to the production of LDL, also known as "bad cholesterol," in the body. LDL stands for "low-density lipoproteins." Curry leaves, on the other hand, have a high antioxidant content and can help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the body.
In this approach, levels of bad cholesterol, also known as LDL, can be regulated or brought down.
3. Helps with Indigestion
It is believed in Ayurveda that curry leaves contain a little amount of a laxative-like substance. It can bring the pitta levels in your body back into balance. Pitta imbalance leads to inflammation.
In order to alleviate indigestion, you can use some curry leaves and lime juice and consume the mixture. This is because curry leaves have a carminative nature, which means that they can be used to treat gastrointestinal issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids, and constipation, amongst other things.
Curry leaves can also be ground up into a paste, which can then be consumed along with some buttermilk. Remember that it must be taken on an empty stomach for it to work properly.
4. Helps in Controlling Diabetes
The ability of curry leaves to aid in the management of diabetes is among the most significant advantages offered by these leaves. Because curry leaves include minerals such as copper, iron, and zinc, consuming them can be of assistance in maintaining a healthy blood glucose level.
Curry leaves have been shown to reduce the amount of sugar in the blood by altering the activity of insulin, according to a study that was recently published in the Journal of Plant Food for Nutrition.
5. Helps with Diarrhea & Constipation
Curry leaves can also be used to settle an upset stomach in certain people. They promote healthy functioning of the digestive tract. They promote regular bowel movements and have even been shown to enhance digestive enzyme production. Anti-diarrheal qualities are possessed by the carbazole alkaloids that can be found in curry leaves.
Curry leaves are an excellent example of a naturally effective treatment for both diarrhea and constipation.
You can consume them in their raw state, or you can pulverize them into a paste. No matter how you choose to consume them, do so on an empty stomach.
6. Helps protect your Liver
Curry leaves have been demonstrated to have hepatoprotective qualities, according to research conducted on them. i.e. capacity to prevent liver damage. Curry leaves are rich in antioxidants, such as kaempferol, which assist to shield the liver from the damaging effects of oxidative stress and pollutants.
In addition to this, it assists in protecting the liver from any potential damage caused by free radicals, as well as any viral or bacterial assaults that can result in an infection. Curry leaves can mitigate some of the negative effects that excessive alcohol use has on the liver.
7. Helps relieve Stress Levels
Both mental and physical health problems can develop as a direct result of stress. Curry leaves are beneficial for your ability to maintain stress regulation.
Inhaling the linalool, which is typically present in flowers and spice plants, found in curry leaves alleviates anxiety and stress and helps with depression, according to several studies. It is common practice to use the essential oil extracted from curry leaves to alleviate the negative effects of stress.
Before going to bed, simply place two to three drops of the oil on either side of your pillow. The aroma of curry leaves has a calming effect on both the mind and the body.
8. Helps reduce morning sickness & nausea
Curry leaves are regarded to be beneficial for treating symptoms of nausea and vomiting, including morning sickness, in many different cultures.
Women who are experiencing morning sickness and vomiting in their first trimester of pregnancy may find relief from their symptoms with the use of curry leaves in homemade cures.
You can alleviate the need to throw up by boiling the leaves, then straining the water and drinking it afterward. You might also prepare fresh juice made from the curry. To add taste, add some lime juice and a pinch of jaggery. Curry leaves help provide relief from nausea and other symptoms of nausea.
9. Helps heal wounds, skin infections & burns
Curry leaves are beneficial to the skin in other ways as well. Burns, wounds, bruises, skin irritations, irruptions, and insect bites are common areas that benefit from the paste or juice of this plant.
It aids in the cleaning of wounds and assists with a speedy recovery. One of the anti-oxidants that may be found in curry leaves is called carbazole alkaloid, and it plays a role in accelerating the healing process.
The alkaloids contribute to the healing process by closing the wounds and promoting new hair growth in the area that was injured. Inflamed skin, boils, and burns of the first degree are all treatable with the medicinal properties of curry leaves.
10. Helps with your eyesight and night blindness
Curry leaves are loaded with vitamin A, which is great for eyesight and can be found in high concentrations in these leaves. Carotenoids are an organic component that vitamin A includes, and they offer protection to the cornea and the surface of the eye. Night blindness or even total loss of vision can result from a lack of vitamin A, which can cause these symptoms in severe situations.
People in the past were known to apply the juice extracted from curry leaves directly to their eyes. Without the appropriate supervision, this might not be the best idea. We recommend including curry leaves as part of a healthy diet. It has been suggested that using it regularly can assist to delay the onset of cataracts.
