Cloves, the aromatic spice cherished across diverse cuisines globally, offer a plethora of benefits when incorporated into your cooking. Used for centuries in Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and European dishes, cloves are renowned for their intense flavor and aroma. Beyond culinary delight, cloves boast numerous health advantages, containing high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Additionally, they serve as a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, making them a nutritious addition to any meal. In this post, we’ll delve into the remarkable benefits of cooking with cloves, offering tips and recipe ideas to elevate your culinary experiences. Explore the wonders of cloves and discover the transformative impact they can have in your kitchen endeavors!
Cloves Nutrition Facts and Calories Chart
It is a small, but mighty, spice. They are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, and manganese, as well as a good source of dietary antioxidants. Nutritional value per 100 g cloves:
- Biotin: 0.1 µg
- Calcium: 362 mg
- Carbohydrates (Carbs): 59.85 g
- Chloride: 0.6 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Choline: 0.9 mg
- Chromium: 0.5 µg
- Copper: 0.5 mg
- Dietary Fiber: 15.6 g
- Energy (Calories): 277 kcal
- Fat: 6.35 g
- Iodine: 0.1 µg
- Iron: 8.7 mg
- Magnesium: 168 mg
- Manganese: 5.3 mg
- Molybdenum: 0.3 µg
- Pantothenic Acid: 0.1 mg
- Phosphorus: 140 mg
- Potassium: 981 mg
- Protein: 7.63 g
- Saturated fat: 4.32 g
- Selenium: 0.2 µg
- Sodium: 0.4 mg
- Sugars: 1.4 g
- Vitamin A: 0 IU
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 4.3 mg
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B6: 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B9 (Folate / Folic Acid): 11 µg
- Vitamin B12: 0 µg
- Vitamin C: 18.9 mg
- Vitamin D: 0 IU
- Vitamin E: 0.19 mg
- Vitamin K: 11.2 µg
- Water: 7.3 g
- Zinc: 1.3 mg
Cloves in India
This aromatic herbal spice which is hot, pungent, oily and sharp. Cloves have been used for flavoring for around 2,000 years and were known in Roman times as an fascinating spice. The Chinese have used them medicinally since around 600 A.D., regarding them as a kidney tonic to increase yang energy and treat impotence. Originally from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, cloves hold a revered place in Asian herbal medicine and cuisine.
- Scientific Binomial: Syzygium aromaticum
- Common English: Clove
- Ayurvedic: Lavanga / Devakusum / Devapushpa / Shrisangya / Shriprasuunaka
- Unani: Qaranful
- Sanskrit: Lakshmi Pushpa / Sugandhi Triphala
- Hindi / Urdu: Laung
- Bengali: Labango
- Marathi: Lavang
- Telugu: Lavangalu
- Tamil: Kiraambu / Lavangam / Grambu
- Gujarati
- Kannada: Krambu
- Malayalam: Karayam Poo / Granpu
- Oriya
- Punjabi / Sindhi
- Assamese
- Kashmiri
- Konkani
- Manipuri
- Dogri
- Bhojpuri
Home Remedies
It possesses powerful germicidal properties and acts as an analgesic. Cloves actively reduce fever. People often prepare it as a decoction or infusion and enhance its flavor by adding cinnamon and apple peel. Powdered cloves can be mixed with vegetables and fruits. Additionally, ground cloves can be incorporated into tea. They effectively mask the taste of more unpleasant herbs, so adding a couple of dried flower buds to an herbal mixture for stomach upsets or chills often improves its palatability. In many parts of the East, practitioners use clove oil for abdominal massage during labor to stimulate contractions and alleviate pain.
1. Oral Care
The essential oil is an excellent first aid remedy for mouth ulcers, toothache, and nerve pain in general. A herbal mouthwash made with cloves is very effective not only for bad breath but also to kill germs, soothe a scratchy throat and even to stop heartburn. To make the tea, pour a cup of just boiled water over 1 or 2 teaspoons of bruised cloves, steep, strain, then let cool. OR add 2 tablespoons of bruised cloves to a pint of vodka, sherry, or light wine, let sit for a week, then strain and bottle. To use as a mouthwash, add 1 to 3 teaspoons to water.
2. Sore Throat
For coughs try making your own sore throat syrup. For a throat soothing syrup, mix 5 or 6 cloves with 1 cup honey and leave the mixture in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, remove the cloves and take 1 teaspoon or 1 tablespoon of the honey as needed. Cloves dull the pain of a sore throat, while honey soothes inflamed throat tissues.
3. Productive Cough
Dry ginger (1/2 teaspoon), cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon) and cloves (a pinch) are excellent and promote decongestion. Consume tea made with all 3 herbs that are aromatic and cleansing to the nostrils as well. Sweeten with a little honey and lemon to make the tea easier to drink if you are sensitive to strong flavors. You can also try 1 teaspoon honey mixed with a pinch of clove powder, 2 or 3 times a day to treat productive cough.
4. Dry Cough
Chewing a piece of clove with rock candy helps to alleviate a dry cough. Rock candy is recommended so that it clove will not create a burning sensation on tongue as it is hot in nature. Cloves are also helpful to treat congestion, colds and sinus problems. A few drops of clove oil may be added to boiling water and fumes may then be inhaled as a decongestant. This will relieve nasal obstruction and congestion.
5. Digestive Issues
A potent antiseptic, cloves added to food help prevent food born infection and food poisoning. Cloves are mildly anesthetic, it is worth trying in irritable bowel syndrome, where it may reduce nerve sensitivity within the gut, easing spasms and urgency. Practitioners of Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, recommend a spice tea that can help. To make the tea, add a half-teaspoon powdered ginger and a pinch each of clove and cinnamon powder to a cupful of just boiled water and drink. Drinking teas flavored with plenty of cloves during the second stage of labor can help ease childbirth pains.
6. Shingles
The diluted oil (3% concentration) may be applied to the skin to relieve nerve pain in the body, such as in shingles.
7. Asthma
If you have chronic bronchial asthma, try this remedy. Insert about 7 cloves into a peeled banana, and keep it overnight. Next morning eat the banana and the cloves. Don’t eat anything for an hour, then drink 1 cup of hot water with 1 teaspoon of honey. This will energize the lungs and should reduce asthmatic wheezing.
8. Hair Care
When using clove oil for hair care, it’s essential to dilute it with a carrier oil such as coconut oil, olive oil, or jojoba oil to prevent skin irritation and sensitivity. Here are some ways clove oil can be beneficial for hair:
- Promotes Hair Growth: Clove oil contains eugenol, which has been suggested to promote hair growth by improving blood circulation to the scalp and stimulating hair follicles. Massaging diluted clove oil into the scalp may help enhance hair growth.
- Prevents Hair Loss: The antiseptic and antimicrobial properties of clove oil can help maintain scalp health by preventing infections and reducing scalp irritation, which may contribute to hair loss.
- Treats Dandruff: Clove oil has antifungal properties that can help combat dandruff-causing fungi on the scalp. Mixing clove oil with a carrier oil like coconut oil and massaging it into the scalp may help reduce dandruff and soothe scalp irritation.
- Adds Shine to Hair: Clove oil contains nutrients and antioxidants that can nourish and strengthen hair follicles, resulting in healthier and shinier hair.
- Conditions Hair: Incorporating clove oil into homemade hair masks or conditioners can help moisturize and condition the hair, leaving it soft, smooth, and manageable.
9. Insect Repellent
Clove can be used as a natural insect repellent due to its strong scent and insecticidal properties. It contains compounds such as eugenol, which have been found to repel insects such as mosquitoes, flies, ants, and cockroaches. The strong aroma of clove oil acts as a deterrent for insects, keeping them away from your living spaces.
- Spray: Dilute clove oil with water and pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray the solution around doorways, windows, and other entry points to create a barrier that insects are less likely to cross.
- Sachets: Fill small cloth bags or sachets with whole cloves or cotton balls soaked in clove oil. Place these sachets in areas where insects are likely to enter, such as closets, drawers, and cabinets.
- Diffuser: Use a diffuser to disperse the scent of clove oil throughout your home. This can help repel insects and keep your living spaces insect-free.
- Outdoor protection: Apply diluted clove oil to your skin as a natural insect repellent when spending time outdoors. Avoid applying clove oil directly to the skin without dilution, as it can cause irritation.
- Household cleaning: Add clove oil to homemade cleaning solutions to repel insects and keep your home clean and fresh-smelling.
Side Effects
Rare allergic reactions to clove oil have been documented in a few people. If you experience any sign of irritation on your gums or the lining of your mouth, stop using it immediately. Cloves should be reserved for labor and childbirth and not taken earlier in pregnancy. Too high a dosage can be irritating to the mucosa.
FAQs.
Q. What part of the plant is a clove?
Cloves are the dried flower buds of the clove tree, scientifically known as Syzygium aromaticum. These aromatic buds are harvested from the clove tree and dried before use in cooking, medicine, and other applications.
Q. How do I use cloves for toothache and gum inflammation?
Cloves are often associated with Mexican and Indian cuisine and old recipes that grandma used to make. Clove oil is an effective remedy for toothaches due to its natural numbing and analgesic properties. Eugenol, a compound found in clove oil, acts as a local anesthetic and helps alleviate pain when applied topically to the affected tooth or gums. Additionally, clove oil has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce swelling and discomfort associated with toothaches and gum inflammation. Clove oil is available from many pharmacies and is useful as an emergency first aid remedy for toothache. Here are different ways to use it. Choose the one as per your requirement.
- Direct Application: Use clove oil for toothache, applied directly to the painful tooth. Put a few drops of clove oil on a cotton swab and place on the gum nearest to the aching tooth.
- Gargle: A clove and saltwater gargle can stop pain, but be careful of allergies to cloves. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 3 drops pure clove essential oil to about 6 ounces of warm water in a glass. Stir until the salt dissolves. Swish small mouthfuls of this mixture around the painful tooth. Spit; don’t swallow. Repeat as needed.
- Tincture: Get a tincture of clove and rub on the tooth.
- Whole Clove: Suck a dried clove, holding the flower bud as close as possible to the painful tooth. OR Just chewing cloves a very old remedy for toothache which eases pain and reduces inflammation.
Q. Are clove cigarettes bad for you?
A clove cigarette, also known as a kretek cigarette, is a type of cigarette that contains a blend of tobacco, cloves, and other flavors. The term “kretek” refers to the crackling sound produced when the cigarette is burned, attributed to the cloves and other spices contained within. Clove cigarettes originated in Indonesia in the early 20th century and have since gained popularity in various parts of the world. Some people enjoy them for their unique taste and aroma, while others prefer them for the potential perceived health benefits associated with cloves. It’s important to note that clove cigarettes, like traditional cigarettes, contain nicotine and other harmful chemicals found in tobacco smoke. As a result, they pose similar health risks, including addiction, respiratory issues, and increased risk of cancer and other diseases. Many countries have imposed restrictions or bans on the sale and distribution of clove cigarettes due to health concerns.
Q. How do you use clove oil for acne?
Clove oil can be used as a natural remedy for acne due to its potent antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Dilute clove oil with a carrier oil: Clove oil is highly concentrated and can cause skin irritation if applied directly to the skin. Dilute a few drops of clove oil with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil, jojoba oil, or olive oil, before applying it to the affected areas.
- Perform a patch test: Before applying clove oil to your face, perform a patch test on a small area of skin to check for any adverse reactions or sensitivity.
- Spot treatment: Using a cotton swab or clean fingertip, apply a small amount of diluted clove oil directly to individual acne lesions or areas of concern. Avoid applying it to large areas of the skin to prevent excessive drying or irritation.
- Leave it on overnight: For best results, leave the clove oil spot treatment on overnight to allow it to penetrate the pores and target acne-causing bacteria.
- Moisturize: After rinsing off the clove oil treatment in the morning, moisturize your skin with a lightweight, non-comedogenic moisturizer to help maintain skin hydration and balance.
Q. What are all uses of cloves?
Cloves have various uses, including culinary, medicinal, and even in aromatherapy. Culinary uses include adding flavor to dishes such as curries, stews, soups, baked goods, and beverages like mulled wine. Medicinally, cloves are used for their potential antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. They are also used in traditional medicine to alleviate dental pain, aid digestion, and treat respiratory conditions. Additionally, cloves are used in aromatherapy for their pleasing aroma and potential therapeutic benefits.
Q. How many cloves of garlic should a person eat per day?
The recommended daily intake of garlic varies depending on individual health factors and dietary preferences. However, consuming one to two cloves of garlic per day is generally considered safe and beneficial for health. Consuming moderate amounts of garlic regularly may support immune function, cardiovascular health, and overall well-being.
Q. How much garlic powder equals one clove of garlic?
The equivalent of one clove of garlic is approximately 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder. However, this measurement can vary slightly depending on the size and variety of the garlic clove. It’s essential to adjust the amount of garlic powder according to personal taste preferences and the specific recipe being prepared.
Q. How do you make clove toothpaste at home?
Making clove toothpaste at home is relatively simple and requires just a few natural ingredients. Here’s a basic recipe for homemade clove toothpaste. To use the homemade clove toothpaste, simply scoop a small amount onto your toothbrush and brush your teeth as you would with commercial toothpaste. Clove oil has natural antibacterial properties that can help promote oral health and freshen breath, while baking soda acts as a mild abrasive to help remove plaque and stains from the teeth.
- Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons baking soda
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 10-15 drops clove essential oil
- Optional: 1-2 tablespoons xylitol or stevia (for sweetness)
- Instructions:
- In a small bowl, combine the baking soda and coconut oil. Mix well until you achieve a smooth paste-like consistency.
- Add 10-15 drops of clove essential oil to the mixture. Adjust the number of drops based on your preference for the strength of the clove flavor.
- If desired, add 1-2 tablespoons of xylitol or stevia to the mixture to sweeten the toothpaste. This step is optional and can be omitted if you prefer an unsweetened toothpaste.
- Stir all the ingredients together until they are thoroughly combined and form a smooth paste.
- Transfer the homemade clove toothpaste to a clean, airtight container, such as a small glass jar or a silicone travel tube.
- Store the toothpaste in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.
Q. What substitutes can I use for cloves in recipes?
If you don’t have cloves on hand or if you’re looking for alternatives due to personal preference or dietary restrictions, several substitutes can replicate the flavor profile of cloves in recipes:
- Allspice: Allspice is a spice that resembles the flavor of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg combined. It can be used as a substitute for cloves in recipes where the flavor profile is compatible.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon offers a warm and slightly sweet flavor that can complement many recipes that call for cloves. Use it as a substitute in baking, beverages, and savory dishes.
- Nutmeg: You can use nutmeg as a substitute for cloves in recipes like baked goods, soups, and sauces, as it offers a warm, slightly sweet, and aromatic flavor.
- Cardamom: Cardamom offers a complex and aromatic flavor profile with citrusy and spicy notes. It can be used as a substitute for cloves in recipes where a unique flavor is desired.
Q. What are some creative ways to incorporate cloves into homemade beauty or cleaning products?
Cloves have natural antibacterial, antifungal, and aromatic properties that make them useful in homemade beauty and cleaning products. Here are some creative ways to incorporate cloves:
- Infused oil: Infuse cloves in carrier oils such as olive oil or coconut oil to create a natural massage oil or moisturizer.
- Scented candles: Add cloves to homemade candles to impart a warm and aromatic scent to your living space.
- Sachets: Fill small cloth bags with cloves and place them in drawers, closets, or cars to naturally freshen and deodorize the space.
- Mouthwash: Prepare a homemade mouthwash by steeping cloves in hot water, then straining the liquid and using it as a refreshing mouth rinse.
- Cleaning solutions: Add cloves to homemade cleaning solutions to enhance their antibacterial properties and leave a pleasant aroma in your home.
Q. How to make clove oil at home for hair growth?
Making clove oil at home for hair growth is relatively simple. Here’s a basic recipe to make clove-infused oil. To use this oil for hair growth, you can apply a small amount directly to the scalp and massage it in gently. Leave the oil on for at least 30 minutes or overnight for maximum benefits, then shampoo and condition your hair as usual. You can use it as a scalp treatment 1-2 times per week, depending on your hair’s needs and sensitivity.
- Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup whole cloves
- 1 cup carrier oil (such as coconut oil, olive oil, or jojoba oil)
- Instructions:
- Crush the whole cloves slightly to release their aromatic oils.
- In a clean, dry glass jar, combine the crushed cloves and the carrier oil of your choice.
- Seal the jar tightly and shake it well to ensure that the cloves are evenly distributed in the oil.
- Place the jar in a cool, dark place, such as a pantry or cupboard, and let it infuse for about 2 to 4 weeks. Shake the jar gently every day to help release the oils from the cloves.
- After the infusion period, strain the oil using a fine mesh sieve, cheesecloth, or coffee filter to remove the cloves and any debris.
- Transfer the infused oil into a clean, airtight container, preferably a dark glass bottle to help preserve its potency.
- Your homemade clove oil is now ready to use for hair growth!