Cloves, scientifically known as Syzygium aromaticum, are dried flower buds that originate from the evergreen tree known as the clove tree. The clove has been in use for several millennia, not only in food but also in medicine, finding its place in many cultural traditions-from the cuisines of Asia and Europe to ancient systems of healing like Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine. These small but powerful spice packages have a wallop of health benefits that make them so meaningful in many holistic treatments today. In the article below, we speak to some amazing benefits of cloves that include effective uses and newer insights as far as their nutritional profile goes.
What Are Cloves?
Cloves are derived from the Maluku Islands of Indonesia and today are grown in several tropical countries including India, Madagascar and Zanzibar. The dried, unopened flower buds are used whole or ground as this spice. Whole and/or ground, the spice is used in savory dishes, baked goods and beverages.
Aside from its flavor, there are medicinal reasons for which cloves are highly valued. Most of their health benefits come from the essential oil eugenol, which makes the spice antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant in nature. This constitutes the reason cloves are widely used as a home remedy for ailments ranging from toothaches to digestion problems.
Nutritional Profile of Cloves
Before talking about the enormous benefits of cloves, let’s have a look at their calorific and nutritional value. Cloves possess an enormous amount of essential vitamins and minerals that include but are not limited to the following.
Vitamin C: Free radicals have to be put off by antioxidation-a process in which vitamin C plays an important role to save the cells from oxidative stress.
Vitamin K: Vitamin K is important for healthy blood coagulation and bone health.
Manganese: Manganese is an important constituent of normal metabolism, endochondral bone formation, blood sugar control, and wound healing.
Calcium: The bones and teeth chiefly require a good supply of calcium.
Magnesium: This controls the contraction of muscles and the functioning of nerves.
Fiber helps in digestion and gut health.
Cloves are also a very good source of several bioactive compounds, the most potent among them is eugenol. Much research has been done on eugenol for its medicinal effects, which range from the alleviation of pain to the fight against infection.
1. Digestive Health
In traditional medicine, people especially use cloves as a primary aid for digestion. Cloves contain elements such as eugenol and fiber, which make up digestive enzymes to help in the digestion process of food and protect a number of digestive disorders, such as bloating, gas, and indigestion.
Clove water is also good for digestion. A glass of clove water in the morning gets your digestive system running, meaning great nutrient absorption throughout the day. The fiber content in cloves promotes bowels and hence prevents constipation.
2. Powerful Antioxidant Properties
Cloves contain antioxidants that are essential in the fight against oxidative stress throughout the body. The latter takes place when unstable molecules, also commonly referred to as free radicals, begin an unrestrained attack and damage on cells and tissues. Antioxidants retard these free radicals, reducing chronic diseases like heart diseases, diabetes, and cancer.
Cloves spice contains more antioxidants compared to most common spices. Eugenol, the main compound in cloves, is a highly effective antioxidant that has been reported to be even better than Vitamin E in neutralizing harmful free radicals.
3. Anti-Inflammatory and Pain Relief
Cloves traditionally have been known to be useful for pain reduction, especially toothaches and sore throats. Eugenol, when releasing eucalyptol by chewing cloves, acts as an organic anesthetic that numbs the particular area; hence, it gives a momentary feeling of relief from pain. Cloves are anti-inflammatory-they reduce swelling and irritation; hence, cloves can act as a natural remedy for inflammatory conditions like arthritis.
Clove oil could be applied topically for persons in pain due to muscles or inflamed joints; it works through numbing the place where pain takes place, inflammation is, and increased blood flow occurs.
4. Oral Health
There are some reasonably accepted benefits associated with chewing on cloves, and they are that they are really good for oral health. Due to the strong antibacterial actions, cloves tend to reduce bacterial proliferation in the mouth. Such antibacterial effects thereby make them a popular natural remedy for bad breath, cavities, and gum infections.
Chewing a single clove freshens up the mouth, killing harmful bacteria. Dental treatments use clove oil to heal infections in the oral cavity and to relieve pain from decaying teeth.
5. Boosts Immunity
Cloves, or in Hindi, laung, have many benefits acting as an immunity booster. Eugenol, being one of the major components among others in cloves, exerts strong antiviral and antimicrobial action to fight against infections.
That said, regular intake of clove water or tea will do a world of good to the body in the fight against cold, flu, and other seasonal ailments. That it cleanses your body, detoxifies it to such an extent that infections do not easily come to your doorstep.
6. Maintains Blood Sugar Levels
Current research finds that cloves spice can be helpful in treating diabetes. Cloves act upon blood sugar regulation by increasing the efficiency of insulin, a hormone involved in the regulation of blood sugar levels. Cloves spice can help improve insulin sensitivity, a very important aspect of blood glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes.
It helps decrease the postprandial rise in blood sugar, hence improving overall glucose metabolism, when one drinks clove water or adds cloves to one’s diet.
7. Enhances Respiratory Health
Cloves form part of most natural remedies for a host of respiratory-related issues, including colds, coughs, asthma, and bronchitis. No doubt, with cloves being anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and soothing in nature, they relieve respiratory congestion and infection.
You can chew cloves to relieve a sore throat, reduce a cough, and open nasal passages. Clove water helps in chronic respiratory disorders as it dissolves mucus and helps in easy breathing.
8. Relieves Bone Health
Cloves pack many nutrients that benefit bone health, including manganese, calcium, and phosphorus. Manganese is a certain mineral very vital in bone formation and bone density.
Certain studies have indicated that cloves, when regularly consumed, decrease the risk of osteoporosis and improve general bone strength. Adding a spice of cloves to your diet is one of the natural ways to keep your bones healthy into your old age.
9. Natural Antiseptic and Healer of the Skin
Clove oil extracted from cloves is highly efficient in skin-related problems, like acne, cuts, and fungal infections, due to the high antiseptic and antimicrobial properties the former possesses. Eugenol disinfects the wounds and accelerates the process of healing while its anti-inflammatory properties reduce the redness and swelling.
Acne-prone skins can use it to apply diluted clove oil in the form of battling against bacteria to help prevent breakouts. People also use clove oil to soothe itchiness and irritation from insect bites.
10. May Help with Weight Loss
Though not recognized, cloves will also help in reducing weight. Active ingredients of cloves will trigger metabolic activities; this will facilitate the burning up of calories by your body at a faster rate. Cloves also facilitate digestion and reduce bloating which in turn can affect a flat stomach.
Drinking warm water with cloves added to it in the morning, along with proper dieting and a regular workout routine, can actually enable a person to accelerate their rate of weight loss by enhancing the fat metabolism process.
Price of Cloves: How Affordable Is This Spice?
However, in spite of their magnificent health importance, cloves are pretty inexpensive. Clove price depends on the region, form whole or ground, and brand. Speaking more generically, since cloves are rich in nutritional profile and therapeutic properties, this spice is a little more expensive than common spices, like cumin or coriander. However, for many recipes, a little amount will suffice, and so it is pretty cost-effective.
For example, within the United States alone, cloves cost between $2 and $6 per ounce, depending on quality and mode of packaging. Organic or premium-quality cloves may be a little more expensive but are really worth it for the added benefits to health.
Conclusion: Bring the Magic of Cloves into Your Daily Life
Cloves are a magical spice and contain many health benefits. Be it digestion and blood sugar control or oral health and inflammation, the benefits of lavang and cloves are endless. Cloves are a versatile spice with many health benefits. They can be used to flavor food, improve oral health, and maintain overall well-being.
Cloves can be used to provide a wide variety of health benefits, from using them in cooking to incorporating them into one’s daily life. With the price of cloves still at an accessible range for most people, there is no good excuse to keep this potent spice out of your pantry and not take advantage of the surprising benefits it offers.
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