15 EXCELLENT HEALTH BENEFITS OF CLOVES - NUTRITION - 2025

The health benefits of cloves range from preventing all kinds of diseases, relieving tooth and gum pain, fighting cancer, protecting the lungs from environmental pollution, to increasing sexual activity or taking care of the diabetic's heart, among others that I will describe below.

Cloves are aromatic flowers of the Syzygium aromaticum tree, from the Myrtaceae family. They are native to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, and are commonly used as spices. They are harvested primarily in Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Madagascar, Zanzibar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania, and are available throughout the year.

They are used in the cuisine of Asian, African and Middle Eastern countries, giving flavor to meats, curries and marinades, as well as fruits such as apples, pears or rhubarb. Cloves can also be used to flavor hot beverages, often combining them with other ingredients like lemon and sugar.

In Mexican cuisine, cloves are better known as cloves and often accompany cumin and cinnamon. They are also used in Peruvian cuisine, in a wide variety of dishes such as carapulcra and arroz con leche.

15 healthy properties of cloves for health

1- Helps prevent diseases caused by mosquitoes

The Faculty of Tropical Medicine of the University of Mahidol in Thailand, carried out a comparative study to verify the effectiveness to repel mosquitoes of 38 undiluted essential oils, one of the most effective being cloves.

2- Protects the body from diseases

Many diseases are caused by free radicals and oxidative damage. A study from the University of Oslo, concluded that cloves are rich in antioxidants, which allows the body to have a defense to protect itself against diseases.

On the other hand, the United States Department of Agriculture published a database with the content of polyphenols and antioxidant activity of different types of food, and cloves showed the highest content of polyphenols and antioxidant compounds.

3- Relieves tooth and gum pain

There are a number of traditional remedies for the treatment and management of diseases related to teeth, gums, and oral hygiene, including clove-based oil, and a 2009 study put their use to the test.

4- Help memory

Antioxidants are important compounds for treating memory deficits caused by oxidative stress.

According to a study by the Department of Pharmacology at the New Delhi University School of Medical Sciences in India, treatment with clove essential oil decreases oxidative stress, which is why the researchers concluded that clove oil could reverse the deficits memory and learning problems caused by scopolamine in the short and long term.

5- Fight microbes

The antimicrobial activities of cloves were tested in a 2007 study in India, showing a full bactericidal effect against all foodborne pathogens under investigation.

In another work published by Dorman and deans, the antibacterial activity of various spices, including cloves, was tested with 25 strains of bacteria, concluding that the oils with the broadest spectrum of antibacterial activity were thyme, oregano and cloves, respectively.

6- Prevents cavities

According to a study published by the University of Iowa School of Dentistry in the US, compounds in cloves stop growth against oral diseases, including cavities.

7- Helps prevent and fight cancer

Cloves contain significant amounts of an active ingredient called eugenol, which has become the subject of numerous health studies. After several years of intense research, it has been identified to be useful for the prevention and treatment of cancer.

An example is a study from the Department of Cancer Causes and Prevention at the AMC Cancer Research Center in Denver in the United States, which suggests that eugenol can be used for the treatment of melanoma.

In another study with mice, the results showed a delay in the formation of skin cancer, a reduction in cancer incidence, as well as the accumulated number of papillomas. The researchers concluded that there could be a promising role for cloves in restricting the process of carcinogenesis.

8- Useful in the treatment of diabetes

In 2006, the School of Medical Sciences of the University of Aberdeen in Scotland in the United Kingdom, conducted a study in rats in which they concluded that vascular and neurological complications were improved by the use of eugenol contained in clove oil. This could have therapeutic implications for diabetic neuropathy and vasculopathy in humans with diabetes.

9- Relieves menstrual pain

Research results conducted by the Department of Maternity and Nursing Gynecology at the University of Mansoura in Egypt, suggest that the use of essential oils based on cloves in abdominal massage, can be effective in relieving menstrual pain, shortening its duration, and limit excessive menstrual bleeding.

They clarify that aromatherapy can be provided as a pain relief measure but not for pharmacological use.

10- Ally against depression

A study from the New Delhi University of Medical Sciences in India investigated the effect of clove oil on depression. Small doses were injected for 3 weeks into the animals. The researchers concluded that the treatment improved depression-related activity.

11- Protects the lungs from polluted air

Inhalation of polluted air particles can cause lung inflammation and can endanger the mechanical function of the lungs.

An experiment in Brazil used mice to examine the possible protective role of eugenol (a component of clove oil has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties), against diesel particulate-induced lung injury.

At the end of the study, they found that mice given eugenol were able to avoid lung inflammation and alveolar collapse caused by exposure to diesel particulates.

12- Helps fight acne

According to researchers from the University of Buenos Aires, due to its antibacterial properties, cloves can fight acne.

A natural remedy that you can use is to take 3 drops of clove oil and mix it with 2 teaspoons of raw honey. Wash your face and apply the mixture.

13- Increases sexual activity (aphrodisiac)

Researchers at the Aligarh Muslim University School of Medicine in India conducted a study in male rats in which they concluded that cloves produced a significant and sustained increase in sexual activity without adverse effects. Therefore, clove is an effective aphrodisiac for traditional use for sexual disorders.

14- Relieves arthritis

Eugenol, an active component of cloves, may reduce inflammation and help control arthritis pain and stiffness, according to an animal study published in the 2012 issue of the journal Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin.

The researchers concluded that, with further studies, eugenol may prove to be a useful natural treatment for some forms of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and degeneration of the joints.

15- Take care of the diabetic heart

The oleanolic acid found in cloves is a powerful antioxidant that can help prevent heart-related complications in diabetics, according to a study published in the 2012 issue of the journal PLoS One.

In the study, diabetic animals treated with oleanolic acid were shown to have stronger hearts than animals that did not receive clove extract. More studies are needed to confirm these results in humans.

Precautions

Clove oil can increase the risk of abnormal bleeding. People with bleeding disorders or who are taking blood-thinning medications should exercise caution when consuming clove products.

Another side effect of using cloves could be irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, or throat. Signs of this include a rash, itchy eyes, or shortness of breath. Any sign of an allergic reaction should be treated as a medical emergency.

Nutritional information

A serving of (100 grams) of Clove contains:

47 kilocalories of energy (2 percent DV)

10.51 grams of carbohydrates (8 percent DV)

3.27 grams of protein (6 percent DV)

5.4 grams of dietary fiber (14 percent DV)

0.116 milligrams pyridoxine (9 percent DV)

0.066 milligrams riboflavin (5 percent DV)

11.7 milligrams vitamin C (20 percent DV)

94 milligrams sodium (6 percent DV)

370 milligrams potassium (8 percent DV)

0.231 milligrams copper (27 percent DV)

1.28 milligrams iron (16 percent DV)

60 milligrams magnesium (15 percent DV)

0.256 milligrams manganese (11 percent DV)

90 milligrams phosphorus (13 percent DV)

7.2 micrograms selenium (13 percent DV)

2.32 milligrams zinc (21 percent DV)

Interesting data

It is an ideal recipe to surprise with a special breakfast. It requires effort and prior preparation, since it is recommended to leave the dough the day before. But it's delicious, it's worth a try.

Ingredients:

Mass

• 1 cup of wheat flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1½ teaspoon yeast
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Filling

• 1/3 cup sugar
• Peel of an orange
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Decorated

• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon of orange juice
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• ½ cup of sugar
• Pinch of salt

preparation:

The day before, the dough should be prepared. In a blender add the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and cloves. Start beating until all the ingredients are mixed.

In a small skillet, melt the butter, and add the milk. Then, in a small bowl, beat the egg before adding it to the previous mixture. Make sure it is well attached. The preparation should be at a medium hot temperature.

Take the wet ingredients to the blender and stir until they are completely mixed. Slow down and keep stirring for about 10 minutes.

The dough should look slightly sticky and stick to the bottom of the bowl.

Remove the dough and start testing textures with your hands. Once you get the right one, let it cool until the next day, covering the container with a towel or plastic wrap.

Once the dough is completed, we proceed to make the filling. In a small bowl, place the sugar, orange peel, salt and butter and stir until a paste forms.

The next day when the dough is ready, add the filling to the dough and start rolling into a log or rectangular shape. Pinch the sides to seal and make as many cuts as you like (depending on how big you want your Rolls to be).

Place them on the tray and preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Leave them in the oven for 22 to 25 minutes.

While baking, prepare the garnish with the cream cheese, orange juice and milk to then spread on top of the Rolls. Beat them until they are lumpy and not totally runny. And finally, decorate on top with powdered sugar.

Let them cool for 5 minutes and you can start serving.

Clove cookies

Simple and quick recipe to make, an explosion of spices in your mouth, accompany it with a refreshing drink, ideal for snack time.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ¾ granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon orange zest

preparation:

Place the flour in a container and mix with the cloves, cinnamon, black pepper and salt.

While this is happening in another container, beat the butter for 2 minutes until it has a creamy texture, continue beating during the incorporation of the sugar, the egg and the orange zest.

Once mixed. Add the dry ingredients (those that were used at the beginning) and beat on a low speed, allowing all the ingredients to compact.

Roll out the dough and wrap it in plastic wrap, refrigerate for 2 hours. Close to that time, preheat the oven to about 200ºC (375ºF), to cook.

Take out the dough, flour the surface and begin to stretch and shape the cookies. You can use any type of cookie cutter (those that are on hand) and take out as many shapes as you want. Once this is done, bake for about 20 minutes and let it rest before serving.

References

1. http://www.greenmedinfo.com/
2. http://www.mdpi.com
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4. https://en.wikipedia.org
5. http://www.academia.edu
6. https://www.allrecipes.com
7. https://medlineplus.gov
8. http://www.helpguide.org