10 Wonder Benefits and Uses of Bael (Aegle marmelos)

What is Bael?

Bael or Aegle marmelos is a spiritual, religious, and medicinal plant native to India and Bangladesh and spread throughout Southeast Asia. The fruit takes about 10 to 11 months to ripen. Wood Apple is sweet, aromatic, and astringent in nature. Bel has many benefits and uses, such as curing tuberculosis, hepatitis, dysentery, constipation, peptic ulcer, piles, and many more, and is valuable in worm infestation and stomach-related problems. Bael or Aegle marmelos is also known as Bengal quince, golden apple, Japanese bitter orange, stone apple, etc.  It is also known by various names such as Wood apple, Kaitha, Maredu Pandu, Vilam Palam, Belada Hannu, Koovalam, Kothu, Koth Bel, etc. It’s one of the few Ayurvedic plants whose entire parts, from root to leaves, are used for different diseases. The fruit balances Kaph and Vata doshas; its roots improve digestion, leaves are good for pain, stem for the heart and bel flowers for curing diarrhoea.

Biological classification of Bael

The scientific type of bael is as below

• Kingdom: Plantae (Angiosperms)
• Order: Sapindales
• Family: Rutaceae
• Subfamily: Aurantioideae
• Tribe: Aurantieae
• Genus: Aegle
• Species: A. marmelos
• Binomial name: Aegle marmelos

Various names of Bael

In different regions, it is known by varied names.

• English name: Wood apple
• Arabic: Safarjale
• Bengali: Belpatthar ka paid
• Hindi: Bael
• Marathi: Belaache zaad
• Tamil: Vilvamaran
• Sinhala: Beli
• Gujarati: Billu
• Kannada: Belladi hannu
• Konkani: Gorakamili
• Malayalam: Koolam
• Marathi: Bel
• Odia: Baela
• Urdu: Bael
• Indonesia: Maja
• Thai: Matum 

10 Health Benefits of Bael

1. Bael for Tuberculosis: In Ayurveda, it is used to treat tuberculosis.
2. Bael for Gynecological disorders: The regular consumption of Bael helps to prevent gynaecological-related issues.
3. Bael for Urinary diseases: Using bel leads you to overcome the problems of urinary infections.   
4. Bael for Diabetes Prevention: It is bitter and intense, is full of antioxidants, and helps to stimulate the pancreas to secrete insulin, which leads to the lowering of blood sugar. The leaves can be used against diabetes.
5. Bael for Digestive disorders: It supports intestinal biological formulations and protects the digestive system from ulceration, reduces the frequency of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) intestinal spasm, thus beneficial in treating diarrhoea, dysentery, and other infections of the Elementary canal.
6. Bael for Fever prevention: The leaf juice with honey is helpful in the prevention of fever.
7. Bael for Epilepsy: Flowers are used as an epilepsy tonic.
8. Bael Nutritional facts: It is rich in alkaloids, polysaccharides, antioxidants, beta carotene, vitamin C, Vitamin B, and many other biochemical substances. It contains tannins, calcium, phosphorous, iron, protein, and fibre. The 100 gram of Bael includes the following nutrients: Calorific value (137 Kcal), Moisture (61.5g), Protein (1.8g), Fat (.3g), Minerals (1.7g), Fiber (2.9g), Carb (31.8mg), Calcium (85mg), Phosphorous (50mg), Iron (.7mg), Beta carotene (55 UG), Thiamine (.13mg), Niacin (1.1mg), Vitamin C (8 mg), Potassium (600mg) and Copper (.21 mg).     
9. Bael for Piles treatment: The extract of unripe bel fruit helps cure piles and haemorrhoids. Besides bael, Dates are also packed with enough fibre. If you want to get rid of piles naturally, take Dates for haemorrhoid prevention, especially during pregnancy. 
10. Bael fights ulcers: Due to its soothing effects on the digestive system, it leads to a reduction in the acidity level in the stomach, thus helpful in combating ulcers like gastric ulcers, gastroduodenal ulcers, etc.

Uses of Bael

• Its juice makes drinks and squashes, especially in summer, because of its sweet and pleasant nature.
• Bael tender leaves are used as salads.
• It cleans the atmosphere as it helps to purify the atmosphere by absorbing the harmful gases from it.
• It is used to increase appetite.
• Its extract oil is used to cure respiratory problems.
• It prepares candy, squash, toffee, pulp powder, and other foods.

Medicinal benefits of Bael

• Bel is known for its medicinal value because of the presence of many biochemical substances, such as alkaloids, antioxidants, polysaccharides, and essential oils.
• The fleshy inner product of bael is curative, pesticidal, nutritional, and therapeutic and used to treat many diseases and disorders.
• Wood apple leaves are of therapeutic value and are used in lowering blood cholesterol.
• It is anti-inflammatory. When applied to the exposed area, its extracts help cure inflammation.
• Bael’s roots are antidiarrhoeal, an antidote to snake venom, and an anti-inflammatory for healing.

What are the benefits of Bael Juice?

• Bel juice helps cure constipation because of its laxative properties.
• Bel juice greatly comforts heartburn, acidity, hyperactivity, and indigestion.
• If you are suffering from intestinal parasites, it is advisable to drink bael juice because of its antidote nature.
• Heart health: Aegle marmelos juice is good for the heart and brain. Bel juice mixed with Ghee is beneficial in the prevention of heart disease. It is also a heart tonic to prevent heart attacks and strokes. The use of juice is also helpful to control the sugar level.
• Gastric problems: The phenolic compounds present in the juice are loaded with antioxidants, which help to cure gastric ulcers. Chewing the raw leaves of Bel helps solve many gastric problems.
• Bael juice is rich in vitamin C and good for scurvy treatment.

Bel precaution

Though Bael is a beneficial Ayurvedic plant, it has some side effects, too. Before eating the fruit, one should take caution in the below-given conditions.

• Abdominal disorders:  Excess of bael consumption leads to abdominal conditions.
• Constipation: If you are taking more quantity of fruit, it may lead to constipation.
• Pregnancy: One shouldn’t take Bel during pregnancy.
• Breastfeeding:  Avoid during breastfeeding.
• Surgery: It shouldn’t be used in surgery.
• Diabetes: When lowering sugar in the blood, one should observe the sugar level as it may be too low.
• Hypertension: One should avoid taking this fruit if having high blood pressure.

The religious importance of Bael

Bael has great religious significance. In Hindu tradition, the leaves and the plant’s fruit are offered to god during prayer, especially the god Shiva. Its leaves are also used to worship Parvati and Viva Rupra. The fruit is used in religious ceremonies and rituals, and its mention is also seen in Vedas and Mahabharata.