Is Bay Leaf Toxic to Humans? Separating Fact from Culinary Myth
                                
                                
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                                    4 min read                                
                            
                                A popular culinary myth suggests bay leaves are poisonous, yet the common supermarket varieties of *Laurus nobilis* are not toxic to humans. The real danger lies in swallowing the stiff, sharp leaf, which can pose a physical hazard, such as choking or digestive irritation.