Curry leaves: Here’s why you should consume this superfood

One ingredient that is common in many dishes in India is the curry leaf (biological name: Murraya koenigii). And it is used a lot more in South India, whether it is to make rasam, sambar or any vegetable dish. Or if bisi bele bhath is being made, it is not complete without a tempering of curry leaves, mustard, dried red chillies and asafoetida.

The curry leaf is in the Rutaceae family and is also known as sweet neem.

Curry leaf is a staple in the kitchen. However, apart from giving wonderful flavour to the dish, it is also a very good health food as it contains many nutrients. Curry leaves are also an important part of Ayurveda.

It contains protein, carbohydrate, several vitamins, calcium, magnesium, sodium, among others. Clearly, it is a superfood.

DH lists some health benefits of curry leaves:

Good for the stomach:

In India and many parts of Asia, it is ancient or common knowledge that curry leaves are good in relieving acidity and improving digestion.

Anti-ageing properties:

According to a publication in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (USA), curry leaves contain flavonoids. “These natural products have been shown to have antioxidant properties and are capable of scavenging free superoxide radicals, thus providing antiaging benefits as well as reducing the risk of cancer," it says.

Controls blood sugar levels:

Another publication in the NCBI said that oral administration of curry leaf extract for a period of 30 days significantly decreased the levels of blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, urea, uric acid and creatinine in diabetic treated group of animals.

Other health benefits:

A third publication in the NCBI states: “Different parts of M. koenigii (curry plant) have been used in traditional Ayurveda medicine for the treatment of cough, hypertension, hysteria, hepatitis, rheumatism, poisonous bites, and skin eruptions. In addition, curry leaf has been reported to have antitumour, anti-inflammatory and antihyperglycemic effects.”

How to consume:

Including it in daily cooking is a great way of benefiting from curry leaves.

Curry and coriander leaves, a bit of jeera, green chillies can be ground to a paste and added to buttermilk with a little bit of salt. This makes a refreshing beverage and will settle the stomach too.

Note: The health benefits listed above are guidelines and not substitutes for professional medical advice.