What are bay leaves?
Bay leaf, or laurel (Laurus nobilis, family Lauraceae), is the dried leaf of the evergreen bay laurel tree that grows along the Mediterranean coasts. In Egypt it is called waraq laura or waraq lauro, in the Levant waraq al-ghar, in Iraq waraq al-ghar (occasionally waraq al-dafna), and in the Gulf waraq al-ghar, where it is part of kabsa spices. The part used is the whole dried leaf, 5 to 10 cm long, olive green in colour.
For the Greeks and Romans laurel was the symbol of victory and poets (hence the laurel wreath and the word baccalaureate), and the famous Aleppo soap has been made from laurel berry oil for centuries. In Arab kitchens it is the quiet leaf dropped into the pot of soup, broth or rice and removed before serving: never eaten, but no cook does without it.
Types, varieties and origins
Turkish bay leaves grade 1
Turkey is the world's largest exporter of bay leaves, from forests along the Aegean and Black Sea coasts (Izmir, Antalya, Sinop). Grade 1 consists of whole, intact, hand-selected leaves 5 cm and longer, uniform olive green, with no twigs, yellow or broken leaves; it is the choice for retail packing and fine restaurants where the leaf shows in the dish.
Turkish bay leaves grade 2
Smaller leaves or a higher share of broken and colour-varied leaves (up to 15 to 20 % broken), with the same aroma and strength but at a lower price, suited to blend manufacturers, canners and industrial use.
Crushed bay leaves
Pieces of 2 to 6 mm from threshed leaves, used in spice blends, marinades and broth sachets where the flavour should spread without removing the leaf later; note that crushed leaf loses its aroma faster.
| Variety | Origin | Character | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkish grade 1 | Turkey (Aegean, Black Sea) | Large whole leaves, uniform colour | Retail packing, restaurants, rice and broth |
| Turkish grade 2 | Turkey | Smaller leaves, more breakage | Factories, blends, pickles |
| Crushed | Turkey | Small, fast-releasing pieces | Spice blends, broth sachets |
Quality standards and grades
There is no stand-alone ISO standard for bay leaves; international trade relies on the European Spice Association (ESA) quality minima, ASTA cleanliness specifications and the Turkish Standard (TSE) applied by exporters, along with the Egyptian Standard for dried herbs and the Codex limits for contaminants. Commercial grades are defined by leaf size and the shares of broken leaves, yellow leaves and twigs.
| Parameter | Typical acceptable range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture | ≤ 10 – 12 % | Typical |
| Volatile oil | ≥ 1.0 ml/100 g (typically 1.0 – 2.5) | ESA minimum |
| 1,8-cineole in the oil | 35 – 55 % | Main compound |
| Total ash | ≤ 7 % | Typical |
| Acid-insoluble ash | ≤ 1 % | Sand indicator |
| Broken leaves | ≤ 5 % (grade 1) / ≤ 20 % (grade 2) | Commercial |
| Yellow leaves and twigs | ≤ 2 % for grade 1 | Commercial |
The expert judges by eye for a uniform olive green (yellow and brown signal age or sun-drying), by nose for a fresh, sweet camphor scent released when the leaf is snapped, and by touch for a slightly pliable leaf that does not crumble to dust. A very brittle or odourless leaf has lost its oil.
Whole versus crushed, and processing
Bay is harvested from wild and cultivated trees in late summer and autumn; the leaves are shade-dried for weeks and then pressed into bales to keep them flat. The whole leaf keeps its oil for up to 24 months because its waxy surface protects it, while crushed leaf loses its aroma within 8 to 12 months. Bay is not roasted, but a few seconds in hot oil before the onions go in (as in kabsa and biryani) releases its flavour. Fine grinding is best avoided, as the powder leaves a bitter note in the mouth.
Culinary uses across the Arab world
- Egypt: meat and chicken soup, vermicelli rice, pigeon broth, kawareh, and pickles (cucumber and carrot).
- Iraq: tashreeb broth, quzi, Iraqi biryani and dolma.
- Levant: freekeh soup, kibbeh in yoghurt, and the boiling of meat for stews.
- Gulf: a staple of kabsa, mandi and machboos spices with cardamom, cloves and black lime.
Dosage tip: one to two leaves per litre of broth or per kilogram of rice, removed before serving. Bay pairs well with black pepper, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, dried lime and onion.
Storage and shelf life
Keep whole bay leaves flat in an airtight container away from light and humidity; they stay excellent for 18 to 24 months, crushed leaf for 12 months. Avoid crushing the leaves inside the pack, since breakage speeds up oil loss.
Traditional and health benefits
Bay leaf has traditionally been used to aid digestion and relieve bloating, its infusion as a cough soother, and its oil in Aleppo soap to soothe skin and scalp. Studies point to antioxidant and antimicrobial properties thanks to cineole and eugenol, and to a possible effect on blood sugar in limited early research. The whole leaf should not be eaten because it is tough and can scratch the throat, and large therapeutic doses should be avoided during pregnancy.
The Sheikh Al-Attareen range
- Bay Leaves Turkish Grade 1
- Bay Leaves Turkish Grade 2
- Bay Leaves Crushed
We import bay leaves from approved exporters in Turkey's Aegean region. Every lot is tested in our laboratory for moisture, volatile oil, breakage, yellow leaves, cleanliness and pesticide residues, then sorted and packed or crushed at our Mansoura facility. The products are available in our branches in Egypt, Iraq (Baghdad and Erbil) and Syria (Homs), and through our online store.
FAQ
Is waraq laura the same as bay leaf?
Yes. "Laura" is the Egyptian name derived from the Latin Laurus, while ghar is the common name in the Levant, Iraq and the Gulf.
Why is the leaf removed before serving?
Because it stays tough during cooking and can scratch the throat, while its flavour has already passed into the dish.
Do grade 1 and grade 2 taste different?
The taste is nearly identical, as both come from the same trees; the difference is appearance: leaf size, breakage and colour uniformity, which makes grade 2 an excellent economical choice for broths and pickles.
Is Indian bay leaf the same plant?
No. Indian bay leaf (tej patta) comes from the Indian cassia tree, has a cinnamon-like flavour and is not a substitute for Mediterranean bay.