Eli5: Why are bay leaves used whole, when every other spice is chopped or ground up?

Question

Eli5: Why are bay leaves used whole, when every other spice is chopped or ground up?

In: 4471

Answer 1

As bay leaves heat up, they release different flavor compounds at different temperatures. I think like 13 different very subtle flavors. Make a pot of chicken soup with and another without the bay leaf and you will soon learn why we use them,

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And they are not really digestible, like other people have said, so you don’t want them actually IN your soup.