By: Ozren Podnar, Zdenka Jurković |
9 benefits of clove |
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Clove (Lat. Syzygium aromaticum) is a traditionally favorite winter spice.
It is originally from Indonesian Spice Islands, i.e. northern Maluku.
Today it is cultivated in Brazil, India, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Madagascar and on Pemba.
Cloves are in fact unripe, unopened flower buds of evergreen tropical tree from myrtle family.
While they are fresh, they are pink and they change color to rusty-brown when dried.
Cloves are 12-16 mm long and look like nails (their Latin name is clavus, which means nail).
Stems end in quadripartite flower buds. Their scent is warm, pungent and aromatic, while their taste is bittersweet and very strong.
First mention of clove is found in Chinese records that date to 400 BCE.
The Romans came into contact with this valuable spice via Arab merchants.
Clove’s healing properties
Clove is mostly known as a spice, unfortunately, we often forget about its healing properties.
Traditional Chinese physicians have used clove since the old days for treating digestive problems, diarrhea, hernia, lichens, athletes foot and fungal infections.
Indian ayurvedic healers use clove for treating respiratory and digestive problems.
Medieval German herbalists used clove for fighting gout.
Early American physicians used it for treating digestive problems and they added clove to herbal remedies in order to make them taste better.
They also made clove oil which they used for gum massage for toothache alleviation.
Several drops of clove essential oil mixed with water will stop vomiting and infusion will stop the nausea.
Clove essential oil is effective against many bacteria and parasites.
Clove contains eugenol, caryophyllene and tannin, all of which have strong antimicrobial properties.
These compounds travel trough blood stream and kill tiny parasites, their eggs and larvae. That is why clove is an integral part of famous Dr. Clark’s anti-parasite program.
By rinsing oral cavity with diluted oil or by chewing clove buds you will alleviate sore throat.
Japanese scientists have discovered that, like many other spices, clove contains antioxidants that help prevent cell damages caused by cancer.
A recent study indicates that clove is the best antioxidative spice because of its high levels of phenol compounds.
Clove is a stimulant, local antiseptic and mild anesthetic. It has positive effects on stomach mucosa, it relaxes smooth muscles in the digestive tract, and it helps against bloating and gass and generally enhances regular performance of the digestive system.
Dentists used to use clove oil as an oral anesthetic. They also used it for disinfection of tooth root canals.
Clove oil is still an active ingredient in some products for mouth washing and for bad breath prevention. There is a folk belief that if you let two whole cloves melt in your mouth, without chewing or swallowing, you will lose the desire for alcohol.
And, finally, it is important to mention that clove is also an aphrodisiac.
Clove’s healing effects include:
- enhances digestion
- helps with respiratory pathway infections
- alleviates toothache
- destroys parasites and bacteria
- natural antioxidant
- helps with fungal infection treatment
- has antiseptic and anesthetic properties
- aphrodisiac
- helps against gout
Clove oil or capsulated clove powder is mostly used in healing purposes. Usual dosages are 2-5 grams of powder a day.
You can also make tasty and healing tea by mixing clove and cinnamon. Put 2 cinnamon sticks and 6 whole cloves into 0.5 liters of water. Cook for 15 minutes and then filtrate the mixture. Drink 2-3 cups of this tea a day.
Clove in cuisine
Apart from being the irreplaceable spice in a popular winter drink – cooked wine – clove is used for aroma of many sweet and salty dishes.
Richly decorated cakes, cookies, puddings or sweet breads often contain clove in combination with cinnamon and even ginger.
Clove excellently combines the taste of apples and pears so it is used for making apple and pear cakes or fruit sauces and compotes. Since clove’s taste is so intense, it is mandatory to be careful when adding it to dishes.
Whole cloves are tasteful in soups made of peas or beans or in fried beans with chili where clove’s strong spicy characteristics provide fullness of taste.
Furthermore, you can press in several cloves into an onion and add that onion to the rice while stewing. Clove is found in many spice combinations, such as a mixture of pickling vegetables or in a spicy mixture for roasting.
It is best to buy whole cloves, because it quickly loses taste in powder form and its healing properties are lost. You should use whole cloves within a year; grinded cloves are best used within 6 months.
Since cloves have strong structure, they are hard to grind so use coffee grinder.
Put a clove in closed containers and keep them on a dry and dark place. Spice freshness can be prolonged by storing them in the fridge.
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