Burning bay leaves is a traditional practice that some believe offers health benefits. But there’s little evidence to support these claims. Plus, doctors do not recommend burning and inhaling smoke of any kind as it’s hazardous to health.

Bay leaves, also known as Laurus nobilis, have been used in traditional and complementary medicine practices for thousands of years. Most of these uses involve crumbled leaves, poultices of leaves, or bay leaf essential oil.

They’re also commonly used for culinary purposes.

Some people believe that bay leaf burning offers a range of health benefits. But there’s little evidence to support these claims.

Also, health professionals do not recommend this practice as burning and inhaling smoke of any kind is hazardous to health. If you want to inhale bay leaf, you can do this through a diffuser using essential oils.

Read on to learn about the limited evidence supporting bay leaf burning,the risks involved, alternative methods for inhaling bay leaves, and the overall safety of bay leaves.

There’s limited scientific evidence supporting the claim that bay leaf burning offers health benefits.

A 2021 study investigated the effect of inhaling burning bay leaves on cognitive function in rats. The study suggested that this practice may be useful for improvement in cognitive function, neuroprotection, and anxiety relief.

It’s thought that the active compounds in bay leaves may help treat memory problems and diseases that affect the brain over time, like Alzheimer’s. This is due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, along with their ability to inhibit an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AChE). This enzyme breaks down a chemical in the brain called acetylcholine, which is important for memory and learning.

However, the findings of this animal study may not be applicable to humans, and more comprehensive research is required on this topic.

Indeed, very few studies have specifically investigated the health implications of bay leaf burning.

Findings from animal studies suggest that bay leaves and their extracts in general, though, could help with the following health issues:

As mentioned previously, health professionals do not generally recommend burning and inhaling bay leaves.

A 2021 study highlighted the risks of oxidative stress, DNA damage, lung damage, and other adverse health effects associated with inhaling smoke from incense and other burning materials. These risks could also apply to bay leaves.

Instead, the study’s authors suggest that people who want to experience the aroma or benefits of a plant or herb, like bay leaves, without the associated risks of smoke inhalation may consider alternatives. These alternatives include using essential oils or diffusers.

This method helps avoid the harmful effects of inhaling smoke while still providing the benefits associated with bay leaves.

An alternative to bay leaf burning is to inhale bay leaf essential oil with a diffuser.

A diffuser is a device that releases essential oils into the air. You can do this by adding several drops of essential oils to the device’s water basin. Several types of essential oil diffusers are available.

However, this method is also not without its own risks. Essential oils are typically highly concentrated, so when using bay leaf essential oils, it’s important to dilute the product correctly. Inhaling undiluted essential oils directly may lead to irritation.

Also, it’s thought that prolonged exposure to high concentrations of essential oils is linked with heart and lung problems.

For safety reasons, it’s important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and ensure your space is well-ventilated.

Finally, make sure to consider pets in your environment, as bay leaves are toxic to dogs and cats.

In general, bay leaves are considered safe for most people, but you’ll want to use caution if any of the following scenarios applies to you:

  • You have diabetes: Since bay leaves may affect your blood sugar levels, it’s advisable to get approval from a healthcare professional before using them.
  • You’re allergic: If you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to bay leaves in food, avoid burning bay leaves or using essential oils containing them.
  • You’re having surgery soon: Avoid using bay leaves for medicinal purposes 2 weeks before having surgery. They can affect the function of your central nervous system, especially when combined with the anesthesia typically used in surgery.
  • You’re pregnant or breastfeeding: Again, since there isn’t enough reliable research about the safety of using bay leaves when pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s best to check in with a healthcare professional first, just to be safe.

Bay leaf burning is an ancient tradition that some believe helps with issues like anxiety. But scientific evidence around the method is lacking.

In general, doctors do not recommend you try this practice. Not only is burning and inhaling smoke of any kind dangerous to health, but it could also pose a fire hazard.

Instead, if you want to inhale bay leaves, you might consider inhaling bay leaf essential oil through a diffuser. There are some risks to consider with this approach, too, though.