Bay leaf, which is also called laurel, is a spice that is often used to add a light, herbal taste to soups and meat dishes. It can be bought in stores as a powder or a fresh leaf, but most of the time it is sold as a dry, whole leaf. The bay leaf is added during the cooking process and taken out before a dish is served since the leaf itself is difficult to chew and digest. The bay leaf is not poisonous, even though this is a common myth.

There are many species in the bay leaf family, but they all taste the same and have the same kinds of nutrients. From the Caribbean to Bangladesh, you can grow different kinds of bay leaves, and you can find them in the spice sections of grocery stores all over the world.