Betel leaves are frequently combined with tobacco or used as paan, a mouth refresher. But did you ever give a thought to the amazing health benefits of betel leaves?
The scientific name for betel leaf, also known as paan leaf, is Piper betel. Betel leaf is a perennial creeper with a heart-shaped form that grows in tropical and subtropical regions, including East Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, and Sri Lanka. Being rich in vitamins, including thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin C, and carotene, they have immense benefits for our health. You may add betel leaves to smoothies, grind them for cooking, or mash them into a paste to absorb all its nutritional value. In this blog, we bring you some amazing benefits of betel leaf.
Potential Uses and Benefits of Betel Leaves for Overall Health
Betel leaf uses are not just restricted to being a mouth freshener, rather it has various medicinal uses as well. Let’s check out some betel leaf medicinal uses for overall well-being.
Helps In Easing Constipation
Being an antioxidant powerhouse, betel leaves help relieve stomach-related issues and maintain a balanced pH level in the body. The use of betel leaf is particularly advantageous when one is constipated.
Tip To Use Betel Leaves For Relieving Constipation: Crushed betel leaves can be soaked in water for an entire night to help with gastrointestinal issues. Filter the water and consume it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
Maintains Good Oral Health
A fresh and clean mouth is another benefit of betel leaf. It has natural antibacterial properties that fight germs and prevent bad breath. Betel leaf also promotes saliva production, which helps wash away food particles and bacteria.
Benefits with Diabetes
Betel leaf has shown promising results in diabetes management, particularly in controlling blood sugar levels. Several studies suggest that betel leaf powder can help reduce blood sugar spikes in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics. This effect is due to the presence of compounds in betel leaf that improve insulin sensitivity and reduce insulin resistance, thereby regulating blood sugar levels. Furthermore, betel leaf is a powerful antioxidant that fights oxidative stress, a common problem in diabetes.
Healing Wounds
Betel leaf is known for its healing properties, mainly because it contains various active substances such as flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, and essential oils. These substances play a crucial role in the wound-healing process. Specifically, here betel leaf benefits and helps accelerate the closure of the wound's edges, which ultimately leads to faster healing.
Help you to fight with Allergies
Owing to its anti-allergic qualities, betel leaf may be beneficial for allergies. The body produces allergy mediators—biochemicals in reaction to allergens—and studies indicate that betel leaf helps stop this process. More specifically, betel leaf has the potential to reduce allergic reactions and alleviate symptoms like itching, sneezing, and congestion by blocking the production of these allergy triggers.
Improve Skin Health
Betel leaf contains antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds that can benefit skin health. Betel leaf has been traditionally used to treat various skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and sunburn effects. To use betel leaf benefits for skin, crush the leaves into a thin paste and apply it to the affected area to relieve inflammation, reduce redness, and promote healing.
Stress Relief
Betel leaf has long been used as a natural remedy to boost the central nervous system. It contains unique aromatic compounds that cause the release of catecholamines in the body, which can help boost feelings of well-being and improve mood. Chewing betel leaf is a simple way to relieve stress and anxiety by relaxing both your body and mind. betel leaf can also help reduce mood swings.
Relieves Ear Pain
There are many other betel leaf medicinal uses. For example, betel leaf relieves earaches. It's said that using two drops of betel juice mixed with coconut oil in the ear can provide immediate relief from ear pain.
Nutritional Value of Betel Leaves
The nutritional composition of fresh betel leaf is provided in the table below:
| Sl. No. | Constituents | Approximate Composition |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Water | 85-90% |
| 2 | Protein | 3-3.5% |
| 3 | Fat | 0.4-1.0% |
| 4 | Minerals | 2.3-3.3% |
| 5 | Fibre | 2.3% |
| 6 | Chlorophyll | 0.01-0.25% |
| 7 | Carbohydrate | 0.5-6.10% |
| 8 | Nicotine Acid | 0.63-0.89 mg/100g |
| 9 | Vitamin C | 0.005-0.01% |
| 10 | Vitamin A | 1.9-2.9 mg/100g |
| 11 | Thiamine | 10-70 µg/100g |
| 12 | Riboflavin | 1.9-30 µg/100g |
| 13 | Thanin | 0.1-1.3% |
| 14 | Nitrogen | 2.0-7.0% |
| 15 | Phosphorous | 0.05-0.6% |
| 16 | Potassium | 1.1-4.6% |
| 17 | Calcium | 0.2-0.5% |
| 18 | Iron | 0.005-0.007% |
| 19 | Iodine | 3.4 µg/100g |
| 20 | Essential Oil | 0.08-0.2% |
| 21 | Energy | 44 Kcal/ 100g |
In India, "Paan" refers to fresh betel vine leaves, enjoyed by millions of people. Around 55,000 hectares of land are used to grow betel conventionally, with an estimated yearly production value of Rs 9000 million. West Bengal contributes about 66% of this output.
There are many uses of betel leaf, including improving mental and physical performance. However, they can be addictive, leading to habituation and withdrawal symptoms. Six leaves with a bit of slaked lime are said to be as nutritious as 300 millilitres of cow milk, containing essential vitamins and minerals. Betel leaves also contain many amino acids and enzymes like diastase and catalase, offering additional health benefits betel leaves.
Conclusion
Betel leaf, often known for its role in paan and mouth refreshment, offers many health benefits beyond just freshening breath. Rich in essential vitamins and packed with medicinal properties, betel leaf has been used for centuries in various cultures for its healing effect. From aiding digestion and maintaining oral health to managing diabetes and promoting wound healing, the 7 benefits of betel leaf mentioned in this blog are truly remarkable. Do you want to keep a betel leaf plant at home? If yes, then you will find the ideal option at Kyari, namely the Betel Leaf Plant with Self-Watering Pot for low maintenance and maximum convenience. There are many other plants available here, along with vibrant planters and many other accessories.
FAQs
What are the benefits of betel leaf plants at home?
Keeping betel leaf plants at home is beneficial in many ways as eating one betel leaf each day aids in the removal of toxins, which in turn helps the stomach's pH levels return to normal, increasing hunger.
Is betel leaf a medicinal plant?
Betel leaf is prized for its unique flavour, scent, and therapeutic qualities and is a common element in many traditional cuisines. In addition, the leaves have medical uses that include treating gastrointestinal issues, relieving flatulence, and enhancing digestion. Betel leaf possesses several possible health benefits, such as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant qualities.
Is it good to grow betel plants at home?
It is beneficial to grow betel leaves at home as the plant is associated with several health benefits and can be used as a breath refresher, stimulant, and antiseptic. However, Betel leaf plants are happy in partial light and shade. If cultivated outside, place it as ground cover beneath a larger tree's shadow or let it climb up the tree trunks.
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