Curry leaves Eating benefits: Advantages & Side Effects

Curry leaf is a very common ingredient that is often added to various types of Indian cuisines. Adding curry leaves to your meal will not only add a wonderful flavour to your dish but will also help you to derive a lot of nutrients that are beneficial for your health. Curry leaves are filled with the goodness of plant-based nutrients that will help you to stay physically fit and healthy. It is mostly due to this reason why many dietitians and health care professionals advise people to have curry leaves in their dishes.

This article will help you to get necessary ideas about the nutrients that are present in curry leaves, the various types of health benefits that one can derive from curry leaves, and other necessary details. Read the article till the end to know why curry leaves are crucial for your health.

What are the nutrients that are present in curry leaves?

Curry leaves consist of high levels of micro-nutrients like vitamins and minerals, along with vital antioxidants that are necessary for an improved physiological functioning.

Curry leaves are considered to be rich in nutritional components like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, iron, phosphorus, and vitamins like vitamins A and C, along with folic acid (folate) or vitamin B9. Curry leaves also consist of healthy fats, omega- 3 fatty acids, beta-carotene and protein that will help you to stay in good health.

Curry leaves also include various types of plant-based compounds which are beneficial for your overall health, some of which are alkaloids, glycosides, and phenolic compound, alongside mahanimbine, linalool, alpha-terpinene, myrcene, caryophyllene, murrayanol, and alpha-pinene. All these natural and plant-based components are proven to improve your health by preventing diseases and by keepinh you healthy.

What are the health benefits that you may get from curry leaves?

Some of the major health benefits that you may get from adding curry leaves in your diet include the following:

1. Curry leaves help improving immunity:

The nutrients that are present in curry leaves help you to stay healthy by combating the risks of developing various types of diseases and infections, by boosting your overall immune system. Moreover, curry leaves are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C which help yo reduce oxidative stress and prevents the functions of disease-causing free radicals which also required for strengthening of your immune system.

2. Curry leaves in preventing bacteria to grow:

Having curry leaves in your daily diet is believed to ensure that it will check the occurrences of bacterial infections in the body by decreasing the chances of growth of bacteria inside the body. Curry leaves are known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in components like carbazole alkaloids and in compound linolool which will not only help to reduce bacterial growth in the body but also reduce oxidative stress and damage of cells.

Curry leaves are believed to have antibiotic properties that can help in killing bacteria and also helps in eliminating free radicals that can damage the healthy cells in your body.

3. Curry leaves help in proper weight management:

Health care professionals always advise their patient to consider adding curry leaves in their diet for proper weight management. This is because the nutrients in curry leaves such as carbazole alkaloids, mahanimbine in particular, will help you to reduce total body fat and will also reduce the chances of developing obesity and related health issues.

Moreover, curry leaves are low-calorie and consist of high amounts of fiber which are required for healthy loss of body weight by reducing hunger cravings and giving a sense of fullness. This also reduces your total calorie intake in the body. Apart from these, having curry leaves can help to improve your overall metabolism, which can help in burning up of fats and thus helps in effective weight management.

4. Curry leaves may keep your diabetes in control:

Curry leaves are some of the most common choices among those who suffer from high blood sugar levels, or the disease known as type 2 diabetes. This happens because having curry leaves contains nutrients such as iron, zinc, and copper which help in stimulating the functions of insulin-producing pancreatic cells which can help to bring your blood sugar levels at an optimum.

Moreover, the health beneficial components in curry leaves help in regulating blood sugar levels by improving insulin sensitivity and allowing effective glucose metabolism. Having curry leaves in your daily diet is also believed to improve the glycemic control in your body and enhances overall diabetes management.

5. Curry leaves take good care of your heart:

The nutrients in curry leaves are beneficial for improving your heart health, because the nutrients in curry leaves can help to reduce the levels of high cholesterol and triglyceride and thus prevents the risks of developing cardiac diseases such as heart attack, cardiac arrest, angina pain, and so on. Apart from these, having curry leaves also help to ensure lower chances of having obesity, which will reduce the risks of developing cardiac problems as well.

The bioactive compounds that are present in curry leaves also help to boost your overall heart health. Doctors also advise you to have curry lives in your regular diet because these leaves are highly beneficial in preventing the development of plaque in the arteries, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke by inhibiting the oxidation of cholesterol.

6. Curry leaves keep your skin healthy:

Curry leaves have been referred by various experts and dermatologists as an effective natural remedy for improving your skin health. Curry leaves help in enhancing your skin health by detoxifying the body due to the presence of rich antioxidants and promoting better skin health through the process of neutralization of the free radicals. The anti-inflammatory properties in curry leaves also help in reducing inflammation, and therefore they help to maintain healthy skin cells.

The anti-aging properties in curry leaves are also proven to prevent premature aging.  Apart from these, curry leaves are rich in anti-inflammatory properties which can help to cure various types of skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis, and provide healthy, glowing, clearer and more radiant skin.

7. Curry leaves can improve your hair health:

If you are somebody who is facing troubles related to hair loss and other hair related problems, you must have curry leaves in your diet because the nutrients in these leaves can help to keep your hair healthy by nourishing the hair follicles and scalp. The nutrients in curry leaves also prevent your hair from breaking easily by strengthening your hair follicles. This can eventually help you to grow thicker and stronger hair with much better volume. Moreover, having curry leaves in your daily diet can reduce the risks of premature graying of hair and hair loss as these nutrients prevent the chances of oxidative stress by disease causing free radicals.

8. Curry leaves help in improving digestion:

Having curry leaves in your diet can help improving your digestive system and reduce the chances of developing digestive problems like stomach upset, heartburn, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and so on. Moreover, curry leaves help in the synthesis of digestive enzymes which can help in accelerating the process of digestion and will therefore help improving your gastrointestinal health.

What are the side effects of having curry leaves?

Having curry leaves in your daily diet can be highly beneficial for your health and the rich amounts of nutrients that are present in curry leaves can also help to enhance your overall health.

But there are certain side effects that may develop due to the intake of curry leaves as well, though these side effects do not occur each time you have them and are also not applicable for all. Some of the major negative points of having curry leaves are:

1. Allergic reactions: People may sometime complain about facing allergic reactions such as itching, rash, or swelling after having curry leaves

2. Excessive consumption: Having too much of curry leaves in your diet can result in stomach upset, bloating, diarrhea or other types of digestive problems.

3. Interaction with medicines: There are chances that having curry leaves may interact with some medicines, so you must consult a health care professional in such cases.

Conclusion:

To conclude, it would be highly advisable to consume curry leaves in your daily diet to gain the necessary nutrients and health benefits that it offers. But you must also be cautious that you are not over-consuming curry leaves because in such cases, you may have to face some side effects. Try cooking your dishes with a few curry leaves sprinkled on top or cook them with the meal for added flavour and better health benefits.