Bay leaves are used whole as it gives the food a good tate and prevents the risk of the food tasting like Vicks VapoRub.
The more ground up the bay leaves are the more the surface area of the bay leaf will be exposed and the more flavor will be released into the food.
While many other spices and herbs are incorporated into dishes, bay leaves are often added whole to dishes to impart flavor and then removed before serving.
Ground bay leaf is great to use in place of whole bay leaves, including tomato juice, fish dishes, pickling, soups, sauces or pot roast.
Large amounts of bay leaf might cause sleepiness and slowed breathing.
Some medications, called sedatives, can also cause sleepiness and slowed breathing.
Taking bay leaf in large amounts with sedative medications might cause breathing problems and/or too much sleepiness.
The use of Bay leaf has been a part of several cultures as adding this herb not only added a touch of taste and flavor, but also added a healthy twist to the rice based delicacies.