Laurel, a seasoning with many properties

The laurel (Laurus nobilis L.), a popular cooking seasoning, has traditionally been used as a medicinal plant for its numerous properties. Among these, the digestive and expectorant properties stand out, although others are attributed to it, such as aperitif, carminative, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, tonic, stimulant, analgesic, antioxidant, emmenagogue, antiparasitic, rubefacient and healing properties.

Especially bay leaves are used. as condiment or in infusions and decoctionsalthough it also has great medicinal use externally the essential oil of laurel. With the berries, you can prepare bay butterwhich is applied in massage.

He laurel tree It is a tree of modest size, up to 15 meters high, with elongated, hard and glossy leaves. These leaves emanate a powerful fragrance when squeezed between the hands, due to its richness in essential oil. The flowers are discrete, yellowish-white, grouped in globose inflorescences, and the fruits are ovoid berries, green in color, black when ripe.

Laurel is found in streams, ravines and humid and shady hedgesbut it is also frequently planted in parks and gardens.

It is believed to be native to the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor, the shores of the Black Sea and North Africa, but we can currently see it growing spontaneously in the coastal and pre-coastal of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. In the Canary Islands and Azores we have several very similar species, which form uniform and shady forests, the laurel.

In Greek and Roman mythology, the laurel symbolizes immortality achieved after a heroic victory and, therefore, it was customary to crown the heads of heroes, victorious warriors, sports champions, poets, wise men or geniuses with bouquets of laurel leaves as a sign of greatness or victory.