Are Fresh Bay Leaves Safe to Eat? Debunking the Myths
                                
                                
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                                    5 min read                                
                            
                                The persistent myth that bay leaves are toxic if swallowed is actually a confusion with a few different, unrelated plants. In reality, fresh culinary bay leaves (Laurus nobilis) are not poisonous, but eating them whole is still not recommended for other critical reasons.