Chewing raw curry leaves helps to maintain health, especially when it comes to hair health; but it should be remembered that scientific backup for such claims is still rather meagre. These leaves are full of the necessary vitamins which help in maintaining hair health and keeping your scalp healthy. Some of these vitamins include A, B, C, and E. They contain antioxidants that fight oxidative stress, major contributors to hair loss and premature greying. Indeed, whereas some people believe that curry leaves may somehow promote melanin production, no scientific evidence so far is strong enough to believe they can reverse the greying process.
Benefits of chewing curry for skin and hair health
When we spoke to Dr Madhu Chopra, Cosmetologist, MBBS-DORL, Studio Aesthetique, Mumbai, she said that curry leaves have been in use for the longest time in naturopathy and Ayurveda. Its benefits to hair and skin are, no doubt, superb. Whichever application it is used in or eaten. No health supplement comes close to its health benefits. Curry leaves are said to have the potential to ensure hair wellness because the nutrients in them may help to harden hair follicles and improve the blood flow to the scalp which could prevent hair from thinning. Mostly, these boasts of efficacy in stopping hair from falling or promoting new hair growth or otherwise are anecdotal instead of based on scientific evidence. Curry leaves may be useful in regulating dandruff and psoriasis as well due to antioxidant properties that prevent oxidative stress, but this is still something to be researched.
Things to note
Most people can safely use curry leaves, but a patch test is always a good idea prior to using them just to make sure you do not have an allergic reaction or sensitivity. While they offer benefits, there are possible negative effects such as itching, redness, or rash, so it is essential to be cautious.
Of course, chewing raw curry leaves will healthily add to your diet and probably keep hair and skin in good health; it certainly does not have an answer for every problem. The best results are obtained by adopting a balanced approach integrating nutrition and good care of hair.
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