Bay leaves don't hit you over the head with intense aromatic flavor presence, but if they're included in a slow simmering soup, stew, or braise, they do add a subtle flavor layer that's going to lend a little more depth to whatever you're cooking."

Bay leaf (also known as laurel) is a spice commonly used to flavor soups and meat dishes for its light, herbal flavor. It is sometimes sold in stores in a powder or as a fresh leaf, but it is most often found as a dry, whole leaf.

B&G Foods, Inc. Spice Islands is an American brand of spices and herbs that began in 1941. The spices are manufactured in Ankeny, Iowa, the largest spice manufacturing facility in the world. The brand is owned by B&G Foods, Inc.

Bay leaves are the foliage of the bay laurel tree. These small trees are native to the Mediterranean region where they still grow today. While many other spices and herbs are incorporated into dishes, bay leaves are often added whole to dishes to impart flavor and then removed before serving.

Health Benefits Of Bay Leaves

• Bay leaves have antibacterial properties.
• Bay leaves may help with blood sugar control.
• Bay leaf extract may help prevent kidney stones according to a study conducted in 2014.
• Bay leaf extract may help with the treatment of seizure.
• Bay leaf tea may help improve cholesterol levels.

In their fresh form, bay leaves tend to be more bitter and pungent, while dried they taste more herbal, with flavor notes similar to thyme or oregano. They are often described as having notes of eucalyptus, menthol, and pine.

Famed as the “Spice Isle”, Grenada packs a punch with the wide range of spices that are grown and exported from our Caribbean island.

Bay leaves are an herb plucked from the evergreen tree, Lauris nobilis, also known as the bay laurel tree. (Not to be confused with the California bay laurel, Umbellularia californica.) Bay laurel trees are part of the greater Lauraceae family which includes other important plants like cinnamon and avocado trees.

They include Halmahera (the largest), Seram, Buru, Ambon, Ternate, and Tidore and the Aru and Kai island groups. They were known for being the largest producers of mace, nutmeg, cloves and pepper in the world.

The islands were known as the Spice Islands because of the nutmeg, mace, and cloves that were exclusively found there, the presence of which sparked colonial interest from Europe in the 16th century.

western Turkey Turkish bay leaves are the best in the world. Though not as strong as the California variety, they have a natural depth of flavor that the California bay leaves can't hope to match. Bay leaves grow wild on the hilly mountains of western Turkey in the area around Izmir (Smyrna).

They're not just pivotal in French food, either. Bay leaves are an important component in many cuisines, used widely in countries like India, Turkey, and Italy. They're also crucial in dishes like gumbo and Texas chili.

The antioxidants present in bay leaves can help to protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause cell damage, leading to premature ageing and a host of other problems. Bay leaf tea can also help to reduce inflammation and soothe irritated skin.

Large amounts of bay leaf might cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Some medications, called sedatives, can also cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Taking bay leaf in large amounts with sedative medications might cause breathing problems and/or too much sleepiness.

Bay Leaf or Laurel Leaf are dried leaves or an evergreen shrub or more rarely a tree attaining a height of 15 to 20 mtrs. The upper surface of the leaf is glabrous and shiny, olive green, and lower surface is dull olive to brown with a prominent rib and veins.

Until the 1700s, these rain-forested, luxuriant, volcanic islands were the only or best sources of such spices as cloves, nutmeg, and mace. Arab traders introduced cloves to Europeans around the fourth century but sought to keep their sources secret.