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Health Benefits of Betel Leaf

 Recently I came to know that betel leaf  has several health benefits. 

Betel leaves have got many health benefits, if used in the right way. It is widely used in Ayurveda treatments.

Betel leaves do not have any harmful effects when used alone. 

But if betel leaves are used with betel nut (areca nut) or tobacco,  it can cause cancer since they are carcinogenic.




Nutrients in Betel Leaf

In a 100g serving of Betel leaf, the nutrients are
Calories: 61
Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 6g
Fibre: 1.8g
Protein: 3g

Betel leaves have numerous  health benefits. Betel leaves are good source of calcium. Additionally, they also contain vitamins like vitamin C, thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, and riboflavin. Betel leaves possess analgesic, antibiotic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic properties.


Health Benefits 

1. Helpful for Diabetes - Betel leaf can help reduce glucose levels in your blood. 

2. Reduces cholesterol - The eugenol content in betel leaves help in lowering cholesterol levels.

3. Betel leaves have properties such as anti-bacterial, anti-mutagenic, antioxidant, and anti-proliferative.

4. Fights Bacterial infection - Betel leaves contain essential oil which has antibacterial properties that  help fight bacterial infections .

5. Heals wounds - Betel leaves are filled with antioxidants which is helpful in healing wounds. 

6. Controls Asthma - Betel leaves have anti-histamine properties in them, which helps prevent and control asthma.

7. Helps in depression - Chewing betel leaf and swallowing the juice helps in depression issues because they stimulate the activity in the central nervous system and lowers depression. 

8. Used as Mouth refreshener - Betel leaf is good for oral health. It is widely used as a mouth freshener in India. 

9. Protects from Malaria - Betel leaves have been used for their anti-malarial properties since ancient times. The leaves contain Terpenes and flavonoids. Terpenes has strong anti-malaria properties, and flavonoids have strong anti-parasitic properties.

Side Effects of Betel leaf

If Betel leaf is used with betel nut (areca nut) or tobacco regularly there is a risk of developing oral cancer since they are carcinogenic. 
It is better to do a patch test before using betel leaf for the first time, to avoid any type of allergies. 

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References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3892533/
https://www.britannica.com/plant/betel
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/betel 

Disclaimer: This article is for information purpose only. Before using betel leaf for medicinal purpose,  please consult a qualified medical expert, to avoid any complications. 

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