Healthy Laurel The aromatic spice

Healthy Laurel The aromatic spice / Health News
The laurel is one of the great spices in the kitchen and has a long tradition. The olive-green leaves contain essential oils as well as tannins, which provide a bitter taste. When drying, this severity is lost and the typical aromatic laurel taste comes out. Since it is given to the food only after a long cooking time, one likes to use the spice for the refinement of stews, soups and sauces, potatoes, rice and strong meat dishes. But also vegetarian food, chutneys, sour beans and pickled cucumbers benefit from a laurel note.


Since the aroma is very intense, should be dosed carefully. For a recipe for 4 to 6 people 2 to 3 leaves are enough. Sometimes half a sheet is enough. Slightly torn it can give off its aroma better. The leaves are not eaten, but removed before serving.

Healthy spice lobeer. Image: Sea Wave Fotolia

Before the laurel began its triumph in the kitchen, the aromatic leaves were already famous. According to a Greek legend, the beautiful nymph Daphne turned into a laurel bush to escape the god Apollo. This sat down then to comfort a laurel wreath. Thus, the plant became a symbol of fame and honored winners in Olympic Games, poets and actors.

The evergreen laurel tree (Laurus nobilis) is originally native to Asia Minor. Today it is cultivated in many countries of the Mediterranean, especially in Turkey, and is also wild there. Depending on the location, it can be between 10 and 15 meters high. The plant of the laurel family has leathery, slightly wavy and lanceolate leaves. After harvesting, they are gently dried in the shade to preserve flavor and color. Prefer stalkless, olive and intact leaves, which should be kept airtight, dark and dry. Fresh laurel is rare to find. Incidentally, the spice usually has less flavor when ground. Heike Kreutz, bzfe