✓ Evidence Based

10 Health Benefits of Cloves

Cloves are one of the most commonly used spices in the world! They have a pungent aroma and taste that makes them an essential ingredient for many dishes like garam masala, pickles, and curries.

Cloves can be eaten raw or added to food during cooking. You can also make tea from cloves by crushing them with boiling water or adding them to your smoothies or juices for added flavor and nutrition!

Benefits of Eating Cloves

Cloves are known to have several health benefits. Cloves can be used to treat mouth ulcers, toothaches, colds, coughs, and flu as well as indigestion problems. They are also known to increase blood circulation in the body which helps improve oxygen supply to all vital organs including brain cells thereby improving overall brain function. Continue reading to find out the benefits of eating cloves .

1. Kills bacteria

Cloves are not just for cooking, they can also be used to kill bacteria. This is because contains eugenol, which is a natural antimicrobial agent that helps fight off bacterial infections. In fact, the best way to use cloves as an antibiotic is by making tea out of them and drinking it three times daily until the infection clears up.

You can also add a few drops of clove oil to your cleaning products to help kill germs and keep your home clean. Cloves are a powerful herb that fights off infection and bacteria, but they should only be used when necessary due to their side effects as they can damage the liver if taken in large doses or for long periods of time.

2. Contains important nutrients

Cloves are rich sources of vitamins A and C. It’s also a great source of iron which plays an important role in transporting oxygen throughout your body’s cells. When you have enough iron in your blood, it’s easier to breathe deeply when exercising or doing any activity that requires extra oxygen supply to be sent to your muscles.

This can help give you more energy so that you can continue working out without getting tired easily. Cloves are also rich in dietary fiber, which helps keep you feeling full longer and promotes digestive health.

The recommended daily intake for adults is 25-30 grams of fiber per day for women and 38 grams for men. If you’re trying to increase your fiber intake and struggle with constipation or other digestive issues, try adding some cloves to your diet.

Cloves also have no cholesterol or sodium content. For this reason, cloves can be safely consumed by people with high cholesterol or hypertension. They’re even a great source of manganese, which is needed by our bodies to produce energy from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. It also helps with the production of hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

Manganese helps build strong bones by assisting in the absorption of calcium from our diets. It also supports nerve function, brain function, and mood regulation by helping our bodies produce dopamine.

4. High in antioxidants

Cloves contain high levels of antioxidants that can help prevent age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and cancer.

Antioxidants also help protect your brain from memory loss and other cognitive issues associated with aging. Cloves contain a number of antioxidants and flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol.

Cloves also contain polyphenols, which are compounds that have been shown to reduce oxidative stress in the body by neutralizing free radicals. The most abundant polyphenol in cloves is eugenol, which has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and inhibit tumor growth in mice studies.

4. May help regulate blood sugar

Studies have shown that the eugenol compound found in cloves may help to reduce blood sugar levels in people by as much as 56%. The eugenol found in cloves has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood glucose levels.

In one study, people with type 2 diabetes who took 1 gram of whole cloves daily for eight weeks experienced significant reductions in fasting blood sugar levels. In another study, clove oil lowered triglyceride levels by nearly 30 percent after three months of treatment.

You can add cloves to your diet by sprinkling them over cooked foods. You can also make a simple syrup by combining equal parts water and sugar in a pot over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely. After that, add 3 to 5 whole cloves per cup of syrup before allowing it to cool completely before using it as needed. You can also store this syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two months.

5. Might help protect against cancer

Cloves contain substances called phenols, which may help protect against cancer by inhibiting tumor growth and preventing the spread of cancer cells to other parts of the body. One study found that people who ate large amounts of cloves had a lower risk of bladder cancer than people who didn’t eat cloves at all or only occasionally ate them.

However, this study only looked at people who ate lots of cloves over long periods of time. It’s not clear if eating cloves would help prevent bladder cancer in someone who eats them rarely.

Another study found that eugenol reduced esophageal cancer cell growth by up to 50 percent in laboratory tests on human cells.

But it’s unclear how eugenol impacts esophageal cancer risk in humans or how much eugenol you’d need to get this effect from eating cloves or drinking clove tea. More research is needed before any conclusions can be drawn about whether eugenol might reduce the risk of esophageal cancer.

6. May improve liver health

Cloves might improve liver function by reducing inflammation and repairing damaged tissue from infection or other sources. Cloves can protect against liver damage caused by alcohol consumption or exposure to toxic chemicals.

Chemicals such as carbon tetrachloride damages liver cells by increasing levels of reactive oxygen, which are molecules that contain oxygen atoms that easily become unstable and react with other substances. Reactive oxygen can damage cell membranes and DNA molecules inside cells which are both essential components of living organisms.

7. Prevents tooth decay and gum diseases

One study found that when clove oil was applied to the teeth of people who had periodontal disease, it reduced inflammation and bleeding by up to 50%. It also helped control the growth of bacteria in their mouths.

Studies have shown that eugenol in cloves can help reduce the pain of toothaches and even prevent them from developing in the first place.

Cloves can also be used as an alternative to fluoride or chlorhexidine, which are both common ingredients in mouthwash. One study found that clove oil was just as effective at reducing plaque and gingivitis as a 1% chlorhexidine solution.

8. May reduce stomach ulcers

Cloves have been used for centuries to treat stomach ulcers and other digestive issues. Clove oil is an effective treatment for stomach ulcers because it contains eugenol, which has been shown to inhibit the growth of H. pylori bacteria.

Cloves also contain antioxidants such as quercetin and rutin that protect your cells from free radical damage, which can lead to inflammation in the body and contribute to many diseases including stomach ulcers.

The best way to use cloves for this purpose is by taking one or two capsules of clove oil each day until your symptoms subside or go away completely.

9. Relieves pain

Cloves may help relieve pain from toothaches and other dental problems, including gingivitis. In fact, cloves have been used as a home remedy for toothache and sore gums since ancient times. This is because cloves contain anethole, a compound that has been shown to have pain-relieving properties.

Cloves can also be used to ease the symptoms of colds and flu by eliminating congestion in the nasal passages and sinuses. They can even help clear a stuffy nose when used in conjunction with other herbs such as peppermint, rosemary, or sage.

10. Helps against diarrhea

Cloves contain cinnamaldehyde, an essential oil that has antiseptic properties. The oil helps kill off bacteria in the intestines that cause diarrhea. It has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce inflammation caused by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal infections.

Another important component in cloves is eugenol, which has antibacterial properties and can fight off harmful microorganisms that cause diarrhea. Cloves are especially effective against E. coli and other bacteria found in human feces.

Conclusion

Apart from the mentioned health benefits, cloves are also known for their sweet and unique aroma. They are used for making different kinds of products like paintings, soaps, and other decorative items. If you want to experience the healing properties of cloves, then don’t forget to include them in your diet plan.

There are other benefits to cloves in addition to the top ten mentioned above. It plays a huge role in triggering ketosis in the body, the state which helps the body lose weight. Adding one or two cloves a day to your diet might even help you shed fat faster. However, consuming too much of it can lead to health issues. This is why you should take it in moderation.