Health Benefits of Cloves

Health Benefits of Cloves: Clove is one of the most sought after spices. It is an extraordinary ingredient in garam masala, biryanis, and pickles. Its intense taste and aroma in meats, salad dressings, and desserts make the dish even richer. Cloves with their robust flavour are the main ingredients in ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Its strong, pungent, sweet-almost hot flavour is confusing but highly appreciated. 

Cloves are the pink buds of the evergreen clove tree from Indonesia’s native “Spice islands.”The buds are handpicked and dried till their color turns brown. Each bud consists of a long calyx, ending into four spreading sepals and four unopened petals. There is a small dome-like structure at the top. 
Oriental literature refers to cloves as the “chicken-tongue spice.” The English name, Clove is derived from the Latin word clavus and the French word clou, both meaning a nail because the Clove looks like a nail.
Today, Indonesia is the largest producer of cloves, followed by Madagascar, Zanzibar, India, and Sri Lanka.

Health Benefits of cloves;

Eugenol is a major component found in cloves, which has various health benefits like preventing inflammation and easing pain by stimulating pain receptors in the body. It is a good oil for people with arthritis, sore muscles, body inflammation, and other body pain. 

The eugenol has strong anti-carcinogenic properties, which help fight many types of cancers like lung, breast, and ovarian cancers in their early stages.

Cloves are rich in eugenol and flavonoids, which help increase bone density and mineral content in bones. Eating cloves is thus beneficial for people with weak bones or those who have osteoporosis.

Clove oil with eugenol has been long used as a remedy for toothache, sore gums, dental pain and mouth ulcers. It is highly effective in fighting plaque, gingivitis, and plague in the mouth.Clove oil has been approved as a dental anesthetic.

Eugenol works very effectively against bacteria, fungus, and viruses. Cloves tend to purify the blood by removing toxins and increasing the body’s resistance by stimulating white blood cells.

Cloves are also beneficial for people who have diabetes. It improves insulin sensitivity and helps in the orderly functioning of insulin.

The consumption of cloves increases gut motility and digestion power through improved gastrointestinal enzyme secretions. Thus, it helps relieve indigestion, ease flatulence, gastric irritability, dyspepsia, nausea, and constipation problems.

Coves are rich in minerals like potassium, iron, selenium, magnesium, and manganese.

Clove oil, when applied to the skin, works as a mosquito repellent.

Cloves contain a lot of Vitamin A and beta-carotene, which are full of antioxidants. The body needs Vitamin-A to maintain a healthy mucosa, for radiant skin and excellent vision. 

How much is too much?

Cloves are generally safe for most people when taken by mouth in decent food amounts, but it can become dangerous when one starts taking large doses, hoping to eliminate ailments.

Clove oil should be used moderately. It may sometimes cause skin, eye, or respiratory irritation. It can prove fatal if, upon swallowing, it goes into the airway instead of the food pipe.

If one consumes dishes prepared with many cloves, it may result in disorders of the central nervous system and gastrointestinal irritation. Thus people suffering from ulcers and other stomach problems should avoid food prepared with cloves.

Pregnant women and lactating mothers should avoid eating cloves.

Its consumption can prove toxic for the children. Keep the clove oil out of children’s reach and use only child-safe and diluted preparations after consulting the doctor.

Eugenol may sometimes cause bleeding in people with bleeding disorders. One should stop using cloves when nearing surgery.

TruNaturals brings you the prized spice throughout the year. To test our cloves’ quality, rub one bud between your thumb and index fingers, and the sweet fragrance which is released will tell you the story.

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