Known by the name of cloves, clove seeds are the dried flower buds of the Syzygium aromaticum plant. In addition to the fact that these seeds have a strong, pungent taste, they are commonly used as spice in cooking. Besides having medicinal properties, they are also thought to be beneficial in traditional medicine, as they have traditionally been used to treat various diseases. You can find clove seeds whole or ground, and they’re used in savory and sweet dishes alike.
Cloves are also a great source of:
Vitamin K
Potassium
Beta-carotene
Eugenol
Nutrients per serving
One teaspoon of cloves has:
Calories: 6
Protein: Less than 1 gram
Fat: Less than 1 gram
Carbohydrates: 1 gram
Fiber: 1 gram
Sugar: Less than 1 gram
Beta carotene is responsible for the rich brown color of cloves. The pigments of the carotene family are good antioxidants and provitamins. The presence of carotene pigments in cloves can be converted into vitamin A which is important for healthy vision.
Clove seeds are a very good solution for toothaches and tooth pains. Clove Seed is used to reduce gum diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis. The anesthetic properties present in clove can relieve you from toothache. Moreover, clove seed helps in monitoring the growth of oral pathogens which is the cause for many oral problems. If you can have one or two clove seeds every morning it will provide you with all the oral hygiene necessary.
Cloves have been shown
Trusted Source
to have antimicrobial properties, meaning they can help stop the growth of microorganisms like bacteria.
Bone health is responsible for phenolic compounds like eugenol and flavonoids along with manganese. Clove seed is a rich source of all the three essentialities, thus preserving bone health and strengthening the bone joints reducing the chances of osteoporosis.
Cloves may help protect your stomach from ulcers. Most ulcers are caused by thinning of the layers of mucus that protect your stomach lining. Early research shows that eating cloves can thicken this mucus, lowering your risk of getting ulcers and helping to heal ulcers that you already have.
The presence of the eugenol compound can be beneficial for liver health. The liver is responsible for body metabolism. This process might lead to an increase in the production of free radicals which further leads to a decrease in antioxidant level. The presence of a significant amount of antioxidants in clove seeds protects your liver by counteracting these problems.
If you are a diabetic patient, cloves are a must for your diet. The nigericin compound present in cloves helps in blood sugar level improvement as it uptakes sugar levels from the blood.
Both men and women can benefit from simple nerve stimulation to enhance their sexual response. Cloves include sterols and phenols, both of which stimulate the nervous system and hence improve sexual responsiveness.
Clove seed is an immunity booster. The presence of Vitamin C stimulates white blood cells which prepares your body to fight against diseases increasing your immunity level.
The presence of eugenol is an amazing ingredient which gives you relief from headache.
Clove seed is a rich source of antioxidants that damages cancer-causing cells, thus protecting you from the deadly disease.
The grounded form of clove seed or clove oil is an excellent ayurvedic remedy for preventing acne.
Consuming clove seed with your morning tea or warm water can reduce the chances of indigestion and congestion.
Clove seed when turned into clove gel or clove oil can act as insect and mosquito repellent because of its anti-parasite function.
Consuming clove seed at night can reduce the problems of diarrhea and constipation.
Clove Seed protects you from cough and cold, bronchitis, and other viral infections.
Consumption of clove seed will give you a relaxed and calm feeling taking away all your stress.
Clove seeds kill germs and prevent bacteria from entering your lungs protecting you from diseases like asthma.
The decoction that is obtained from clove seeds is used for the treatment of flatulence and indigestion.
According to the World Health Organization, the daily recommended dose of cloves is 2.5 mg/kg body weight.
Tea from fresh cloves: Place 10g of cloves in a pot with 1 L of water, and boil for 15 minutes. Then allow to cool, strain, and drink up to 3 times per day.
Clove Seeds can be consumed whole or as clove powder. Cloves give a soothing taste to your food. From an essential spice in various dishes, it is also used in hot and cold beverages and desserts. While ground cloves are used as a sprinkler over pumpkin pie and mulled wine, whole cloves are used in pickle mix and chai lattes. They give a distinctive flavor to curries and chutneys.
PRECAUTIONS
It has strong flavors, so always store them in airtight containers preferably in cool, dark places, and always know the proper quantity required to be used as an excessive amount of cloves used can give you opposite results; as consumption of dishes that are made with higher clove content can lead to certain irritations.
While both clove and clove oil contain eugenol, the compound is in much higher concentrations.
When clove is distilled into oil. For this reason, clove oil is unsafe to take by mouth, especially for children.
Clove oil or cream from clove flowers is generally safe for skin application. However, using clove oil on the gums can lead to irritation and damage.
Forever Champion Health Centre (FCHC) offers natural solutions to Prevent common medical conditions and initiate pure natural treatment for chronic illness.
