From fresh air to fresh food, leaves have always proven to be the most important. Can you imagine your life without it? Well, not us! From the time we were kids, we have been taught the importance of trees in our lives. What do trees give us? Leaves! And these leaves give us so many things in return. Life would be impossible without them.
Leaves, as we all know, provide a lot of benefits to mankind. Air, food and more, all come from them. Here is a list of 10 uses of leaves that you can apply to your daily life.
1. They provide food.
It is a well-known fact that leaves are the source of food. This is where you get your leafy greens from. They contain all kinds of nutrients that are vital for your body. Chewing some specific leaves has proven to be good for your immunity. Curry leaves and bay leaves if chewed on an empty stomach can resolve your digestive issues.
Leave one bay leaf in a glass of water overnight and drink it in the morning and chew the leaf along with it. Doing this every day can improve your digestive tract.
You can use curry leaves for your hair as it contains phosphorus, vitamin C, iron and calcium. All you need to do is chew the leaves every morning on an empty stomach. Wait for 25-30 minutes before you eat your breakfast. It is believed that they also help in treating nausea and morning sickness.
Spinach, broccoli and more, do not leave them behind. Make them your best friends and add them to your meal every day. Spinach is a good source of iron and helps keep your haemoglobin count healthy.
2. They make good manure.
Dried leaves and wet leaves can be used for making manure. All you need to do is rake the leaves on your lawn and create a compost pit. There should be a good balance of dry leaves and wet leaves to do so. Dig a hole in your backyard or garden and dump the leaves in it. Add some scraps from your kitchen like vegetable peels to speed up the decomposition process. If you do not have a garden, you can buy a composting pot.
3. Leaves can be used to make mulch.
In your garden or balcony, leaves can be appealing natural mulch. In addition to suppressing weeds, they eventually decay and enrich the soil. If you want to utilise the leaves as mulch, it is better to first shred them. Particularly when they are moist, a dense layer of entire leaves can solidify into a mat, preventing water and air from reaching the soil.
There are two kinds of mulch – organic and inorganic mulch. Organic mulch can be shredded leaves and grass clippings. Inorganic mulch can be gravel or stone.
4. Leaves can be used as medicine.
From ancient times, leaves are used to tend wounds because they have healing properties. Many leaves, including those of aloe, vinca, and digitalis, are great sources of medicine. Aloe leaves contain moisturising characteristics that serve to treat dry skin while vincristine, a medication derived from vinca plants, is used to treat cancer. Digitoxin is a substance found in the leaves of the digitalis plant and is used to treat heart failure. Nature is fascinating, isn’t it?
5. Leaves can be used as a natural dye.
If you’re looking for organic dye and do not wish to use synthetic ones, you can use leaves to do the colouring. In the 1800s, people used the Indigo plant to get the beautiful blue colour. Now, people who prefer natural items can opt for leaves for dying cloth materials. Here is a list of plants you can choose from:
- Amur Maple
- Fennel Leaves
- Bay Leaves
- Curry Leaves
- Indigo Leaves
- Eucalyptus
- Sassafras
6. Leaves can be used to create scented oils
Leaves of lemon grass, eucalyptus, kanuka, manuka, myrtle and more create amazing scents. Crushing them and refining them into oils can be beneficial for you. It can be used at your house for aroma or can be used as body oil for massages.
7. Leaves can be used as insecticides.
Extracts of neem can be used as a natural insecticide. It is a better option than using chemicals that harm the environment and the air. The bug-fighting plants can be used to evade any kind of insect that can cause damage to your plants. The leaves can act as a threat to these bugs. They either produce chemicals that can potentially kill a bug or they release a hormone that sends a signal to the bugs to stay away.
8. Leaves can be used as utensils.
Many cultures use leaves for eating. In the southern part of India, people use banana leaves and spread them on the table and eat their meals on them. Many cultures use this technique as it is very eco-friendly and doesn’t harm the environment.
9. Leaves give clean air.
Well, this is a well-known fact that leaves give clean air. Keeping plants in your home is effective as you will get clean air. Plants are also believed to give positive energy to your house. So, it is time to bring a potted pal into your house!
10. Leaves can evade mosquitoes.
Leaves can help in getting rid of mosquitoes. Rosemary and basil leaves have proven to be effective in that case. They naturally keep mosquitoes away. So, if you have trouble with all the ‘buzzing’ around, you know what leaves can help get rid of that. You can also try lemon grass for this purpose. It will keep your environment safe from mosquitoes and also leave a sweet aroma around!
Conclusion
Leaves are so important. One cannot think about their life without them. Not only do they help us but they also help in keeping the environment safe. Leaves only come from plants and trees so it is necessary to protect them.
Note: Ask your doctor before eating/applying anything on yourself. This blog is for information purposes.
Also Read: My 30th Birthday Speech For Myself.