In some families, recipes are passed down through the generations like heirlooms. Likewise, old food myths about cooking have been handed down, too. While they may not be cherished, exactly, these age-old beliefs, possibly held by descendants from the distant past, still have the power to perplex and shape our culinary habits. We turned to nutrition experts to demystify some of the most common ones.
It Can Be Deadly to Consume Bay Leaves
The bay leaf or bay laurel (botanical name, Laurus nobilis) is a culinary herb derived from the perennial evergreen shrub that belongs to the family laurel (Lauraceae). The whole dry leaves flavor soups, stews, and sauces.
The verdict: "Bay leaves have suffered from a case of mistaken identity due to their striking resemblance to toxic mountain laurel and cherry laurel leaves," explains Stacey Woodson, MS, RD. While they aren't poisonous, she says, they do earn their "remove before serving" reputation because they remain rigid during cooking. Stiff, sharp, and pointy, the leaves can scratch, poke, and irritate the digestive tract when eaten and can be a choking hazard.
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