Bay leaf in flour, why use it like this: the benefits

Putting some bay leaves in the flour can be of great help. If you’ve never tried it, here’s why you should.

You may find it strange to put bay leaves in flour. But when you discover its benefits, you will no longer be able to do without it.

What are the main properties of bay leaf?

Laurel is an aromatic plant defined as legendary, since it was already used in ancient times, frequently used to adorn the Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greece. Let’s think about the  laurel wreaths  , of which we have very ancient testimonies, placed on the heads of poets and philosophers. Therefore, it is a symbol of wisdom, to the point that even today a laurel wreath is placed on the heads of recent graduates. Despite its numerous purely aesthetic uses,  its main beneficial properties were already known many years ago  .

Widely used in the kitchen. The leaves are most commonly used for cooking, to season soups, stews or roasts, but also to prepare infusions and decoctions. In the herbal and medical field, however, it is used in the form of essential oil, obtained from the same leaves. Its digestive and anti-inflammatory properties are well known, but what perhaps few know is that  bay leaf is an excellent natural repellent for unwanted insects  . Without a doubt, this could be a plus point for this evergreen plant, to the point that it leads us to use it more frequently at home than in the kitchen.

How and why to use bay leaves in the pantry

Precisely the repellent properties of the laurel help us in this case, since its leaves, very aromatic, will keep both the butterflies that nest in pasta and cereals and other small parasites that are usually present away from the kitchen and pantry. in food warehouses. It is possible to use bay leaves both in the flour itself and directly in the pantry, the result is more than guaranteed in both cases. It is very important, however,  to remember to change the leaves when the smell begins to disappear  .

In fact, for it to work as a repellent, the leaves need to be fresh and very smelly, to bother insects. Beyond this, it goes without saying that it is also necessary to periodically clean the pantry to prevent small insects from nesting between the shelves.

To do it better you will have to take out everything in the pantry, carefully check the shelves and cupboards, clean them thoroughly and then carefully check the packages of flour, pasta, cookies, legumes and cereals.  Also pay close attention to the corners of the cardboard boxes  , such as those for tea and infusions.

Flour is one of the favorite foods of butterflies and small insects, which find it a perfectly cozy place to nest. Therefore, it is good practice to properly close packages, ideally in tightly closed containers.