Are bay leaves poisonous?

Question

I know you can cook with them and remove them before serving but I have heard lately that they are poisonous.

Answer 1

Well if they were, than what ever poison they had would be in the food. That being said I highly doubt that they are.

Answer 2

Traditional Ethnic Uses-Bay Leaves, a staple in American kitchens, are used in soups, stews, meat and vegetable dishes. The leaves also flavor classic French dishes such as bouillabaise and bouillon.

History/Region of Origin-Ancient Greeks and Romans crowned victors with wreaths of laurel. The term "baccalaureate," means laurel berry, and refers to the ancient practice of honoring scholars and poets with garlands from the bay laurel tree. Romans felt the leaves protected them against thunder and the plague. Later, Italians and the English thought Bay Leaves brought good luck and warded off evil.

A Few Ideas to Get You Started-The Bay Leaf is useful in hearty, home-style cooking. When you are making bean, split pea and vegetable soups, meat stews, spaghetti sauce, and chili, a Bay leaf can be added for a more pungent flavor. Alternate whole Bay Leaves with meat, seafood, or vegetables on skewers before cooking. Be sure to remove Bay Leaves before eating a dish that has finished cooking. The whole leaves are used to impart flavor only and are bitter and hard to chew.

****(The Bay berries are not so good except to make wax smell good if you happen to like candle making.)

Answer 3

The tough, oval leaves are pleasantly aromatic and used as a culinary flavouring.
The flowers are yellow and the fruit is a black berry.

The leaves are gathered from young branches in summer and then dried for use as infusions. They also provide an essential oil.
The berries are collected when ripe in Oct and Nov and produce an oil called bay butter.

The oil of the bay tree has antiseptic, antifungal and stimulant properties. Externally, the oil is excellent as a rub for easing aches and pains, rheumatism, sprains and bruises. It also helps to soothe mouth ulcers and inflammation.
When taken by mouth, the plant is traditionally used to treat digestive disorders, such as colic and stomach bloating.

Hope this info can help you....._;-)

Answer 4

The bay leaves you buy in the store, either in produce, or spices, are not poisonous. If they were they'd be required to carry warning labels by the Food and Drug Administration. It is illegal to sell poisonous items as food. I'm going to say you can eat them, but you might not want to as they are pretty strong and bitter on their own. If you grow your own be careful you have the right variety as some ARE poisonous. It's like the Nightshade plant. They are related to tomatoes, but I wouldn't want to eat one.

Answer 5

NO.

Go ahead and use them they give a lovely flavor to meats and rice and are Certainly not poisonous. Just wash them properly before use.

Answer 6

Yes, they are actually dangerous if eaten. Their use in foods does not generally produce enough release to make the food bad. It's just if they are eaten is there a problem.

Answer 7

Not only no but hell no. My wife for some unknown reason insists on putting the damn things in her spaghetti sauce. Guess who is so lucky as to bite into every damn one of them. If they were poisionus I would have died forty years ago.

Answer 8

No they r not...but if u ingest the leaf itself it can make u sick...u stomach cant digest it and they r hard on your system....so if u do actually eat them, they can make u ill. u might mistake it for food poisoning or the 24 hour flu... so Ive been told

Answer 9

no, in fact, alot of season blends have bay leaf in them. You don't have to remove them either. I leave them in soup.

Answer 10

They're sharp and can cut up your insides. That's why you take them out. Love the flavor though.