Curry Leaves (Kadi Patta): Abundant in Our Own Backyard, Yet Underutilized

(Source of fiber, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin, and folic acid)

Introduction

Curry Leaves (Kadi Patta): Curry leaves come from a small deciduous aromatic shrub, scientifically named Murraya koenigii, belonging to the Rutaceae family. This plant is considered a natural medicinal resource. Native to South Asia, it is found in countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, China, and India. In India and Nepal, it grows at the foothills of the Himalayas.

The plant has vibrant leaves that grow throughout the spring, summer, and monsoon seasons, falling off in winter. References in Tamil and Kannada literature describe Murraya koenigii as ‘Kari,’ meaning ‘spiced sauce,’ used as a flavoring agent for vegetables. It is recognized as the most popular spice and condiment in India. Commonly called Kadi patta or Mitha neem in Hindi.

In Sri Lanka, curry leaves are often used in cooking. First of all, I used to take out the leaves from the vegetable basket. One day a nurse told me about its importance and I started using curry leaves regularly in my body.

The Gynaecologist said, ‘Curry leaves are very essential for pregnant women.’ It is a storehouse of nutrition. It contains fibrous matter, calcium, phosphorus, vitamins, and folic acid. All this is not only very necessary for a pregnant woman but also for her child. The use of folic acid helps to prevent problems like poor development of healthy foetus and spinal cords.

Where can I find curry leaves?

Curry leaves are found mainly in all of Asia. That is why curry leaves are often used in the garden. But, it is safe for pregnant women to consume it.

The farmers are made to feed curry leaves as grass. Keeping this in mind, we ask that the cow’s health becomes good after eating curry leaves.

Benefits in improving the digestive system and diabetes

• Various studies on curry leaves have shown that curry leaves have a beneficial effect on the digestive system. It is beneficial in diabetes. Because this affects the activity of the hormone ‘insulin’ in the body, the amount of sugar in the blood should be controlled.
• Other research has shown that it helps in reducing the level of cholesterol in the body. That means, the child is suffering from the disease.
• It is used in South Indian and Sri Lankan cuisine and is also used as a water spice in Indonesia. Its origin may be Uttar Pradesh, India, and similarly, it may spread throughout Asia.
• The use of curry leaves in water is useful in preparing wash and this chemical has properties to fight germs and reduce infection. For this, leaves can be ground or dried and used to make dust. Taking fiber-rich food reduces constipation and reduces constipation.
• Boiling curry leaves in water can help relieve stomach problems.
• In such a situation, folic acid and other fruit elements are used to increase blood pressure in the body and build bone strength. If you are pregnant, chew green leaves 3-4 times a day, you will get benefits.
• To get rid of infections, itching, skin irritation, etc. use the following, in the same way curry leaves can also be used. Being pregnant and vomiting got help from this.
• As Vitamin A can play an important role in eye health, and curry leaves can be cured by increasing pain, eye problems should be seen in children and pregnant women by taking Vitamin A.

The Benefits and Uses of Curry Leaves

• Health Benefits

It would be wrong to think of Curry leaves as healthy only in the ways mentioned above, there is much more to it. They contain antioxidants, which reduce the damage from free radical exposure and oxidative stress in the body. This property assists with the reduction of diseases that are chronic and nourishes health.

Furthermore, it can be used in the treatment of infections, and, as such, increases the immunity of the body because it contains antimicrobial properties. Due to this, they serve as a great way of managing minor infections and diseases.

• Herbal Tea

Curry leaves can be used to make herbal tea. Boil fresh curry leaves in water, then strain the liquid to create a healthy and aromatic tea. Many people enjoy it for its potential health benefits.

• Culinary Uses

Thai spice, as used in the kitchen refers to curry leaves which are used in preparing foods to give them a unique taste and flavor. boil very often they can be found in recipes of South India and Sri Lanka, including side dishes, curries, soups or stews, and kinds of chutney. The leaves can be fresh or dried and can also be pounded and made into powder form to suit the recipes in question.

When it is incorporated in hot oil, it has to drain its essential oil which gives the food a peculiar flavor. This method is also useful in what we refer to as tempering where curry leaves, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds are added to a basin of hot oil before adding it to the curries.

• Beauty and Hair Care

Curry leaves are also well-known for the special role they come to play in hair treatment. There are opinions that they help to improve the density of hair and act against hair loss, and the germination of hair becomes stronger. For these benefits, it is advised that curry leaves can either be crushed or boiled to make out a paste or oil that should be applied to the hair scalp. It is also important to use it routinely since its effects lead to enhanced hair health and shine.

There is one peculiarity of preparing coconut oil for hair – they boil the curry leaves in it until they are pitch black. The procedure involves mixing two parts of the preparation with one part water and the preparation is then allowed to cool before being gently applied on the hair and scalp. People believe that this homemade treatment helps to feed the scalp and increase the rate of hair, as well as eliminate dandruff.

• Skin Care

Nourishing the skin can also be improved through the use of curry leaves, whereby one can prepare face masks or scrubs made from these leaves. They are useful in managing skin acne cases as well as lightly moisturizing the skin to make it glow. The antimicrobial properties assist in preventing skin infections and are beneficial for the prevention of acne effectively.

• Cultural and Traditional Uses

Another cultural connection of Curry leaves is it can also be used in several areas of Asia. They are eaten in conventional ceremonial occasions and employed in conventional medicinal practices. In Ayurveda they are employed to cure numerous diseases, both, gastro-intestinal and respiratory, which has been widely described below.

Curry leaves are not only used to enhance the flavor of food but have many other health benefits for human beings as well as animals; therefore, it is very important to learn how to grow curry leaves at home in your backyard, balcony gardens, or even in pots on your window ledges.

Since there are several benefits of curry leaves, the growing of curry leaves at home is beneficial. This plant can be grown in a container in a pot or directly in the soil as long as it will be exposed to enough sunlight and the soil should also drain well. It is advisable if you can afford to give some amount of attention to it for you to be sure of having fresh curry leaves always for your cooking and medicinal purposes.

Side Effects of Curry Leaves (Kadi Patta):

There is no significant study or recorded evidence showing the side effects of curry leaves in humans. However, some studies by Xie et al. (2006) in animal models showed localized gut irritation.

If you experience any stomach irritation, it is advisable to consult an Ayurvedic doctor and seek immediate treatment.

Conclusion

Although curry leaves can be easily purchased across a large quantity of populations, they are rarely incorporated into recipes. As for the kinds of foods they are, the best sources of prebiotics and probiotics are fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, yogurt and kefir, cheese and some fermented foods like pickles and sauerkraut. It is extremely rich in nutrients that are very essential in our daily meals; it has many functions in the kitchen as well as in the manufacturing of cosmetic products and traditional medicine.

When included as a staple in a person’s lifestyle, curry leaves can be savored for their scrumptious taste while becoming a great source of advantages to one’s health. Apart from adding it to recipes, using the leaves as a condiment or to garnish, or including them in home remedies, curry leaves are a very useful plant.

To maintain a long-term healthy life, chew 6-7 curry leaves daily in the morning before eating or drinking water.