11 Reasons Why Cloves Are Good For Your Health

Native to Asian countries like Indonesia, India, Pakistan, and even areas of East Africa, cloves are a spice that offers many health benefits. These benefits include aiding in digestion, boosting the immune system, and controlling diabetes. Cloves also contain anti-mutagenic and anti-microbial properties, along with fighting against oral diseases and headaches.

Cloves are a popular spice used in a variety of ways across the world, particularly in Asia. They form a culinary base in a number of different Asian cuisines.

Clove is the dried bud of the flower from the tree Syzygium aromaticum. It belongs to the plant family named Myrtaceae. It is an evergreen plant growing in tropical and subtropical conditions. Clove is an herb of which people use various parts of the plant, including the dried buds, stems, and leaves to make medicine. Clove oil is famous for its ancient medicinal properties.

Clove, just like many other spices originating in Asia, has a great history behind it. During the 13th and 14th centuries, they were transported all the way from Indonesia to China, India, Persia, Africa, and Europe. During this time, cloves had a very high price, and thus wars for monopoly over clove production and distribution began. Many wars were waged to control the islands of Maluku during both the medieval and modern periods. The Dutch emerged victoriously and held the Maluku islands for a very long time. Today, clove is a very important commercial crop all around the world.

* Boost Gastrointestinal Health

Cloves are known to have been used in several traditional medicinal cultures as a way to help with stomach issues. According to the book ‘Herbs that Heal: Natural Remedies for Good Health’, cloves have been used to boost digestion and control gastrointestinal irritation. Furthermore, fried cloves could also be used to stop vomiting, owing to their anesthetic properties. It is also effective against [8]ulcers and can be used as a purgative agent.

* Antibacterial Properties

Cloves are touted by many for their antibacterial properties against several human pathogens. The extracts of cloves were potent enough to kill those pathogens.

* Chemopreventive Properties

Cloves are of interest to the medical community due to their chemo-preventive or anti-carcinogenic properties. A study published in the Carcinogenesis journal has shown that they may help control lung cancer in its early stages. Research suggests that oleanolic acid present in cloves provides antitumor activity, while another study showed that eugenol found in cloves has anticancer potential against cervical cancer. While more research on this topic needs to be conducted, these preliminary findings indicate that cloves could be a positive solution in this field.

* Liver Protection

Cloves contain high amounts of antioxidants, which are ideal for protecting the organs from the effects of free radicals, especially the liver. Metabolism, in the long run, increases free radical production and lipid profile, while decreasing the antioxidants in the liver. Clove extracts are a helpful component in counteracting these effects with its hepatoprotective properties.

* Diabetes Management

Extracts from cloves imitate insulin in certain ways and help in controlling blood sugar levels. One study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that cloves may have a beneficial effect on diabetes as part of a plant-based diet.

* Bone Preservation

The hydro-alcoholic extracts of this spice include phenolic compounds, such as eugenol and its derivatives, such as flavones, isoflavones, and flavonoids. Studies have suggested that these extracts may be helpful in preserving bone density and the mineral content of bone, as well as increasing tensile strength of bones in case of osteoporosis. More research is needed to confirm the efficacy of these findings.

* Immunity Booster

Ayurveda describes certain plants to be effective in developing and protecting the immune system. One such plant is clove. The dried flower bud of clove contains compounds that help in improving the immune system by increasing the white blood cell count, thereby, improving delayed-type hypersensitivity.

* Anti-inflammatory Properties

The spice possesses anti-inflammatory and pain-killing properties. Studies on clove extracts administered to lab rats suggest that the presence of eugenol reduced the inflammation caused by edema. It was also confirmed that eugenol can reduce pain by stimulating pain receptors.

* Oral Health

Cloves can be taken for a reduction in gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis. Clove bud extracts significantly control the growth of oral pathogens, which are responsible for various oral diseases, as per a study published in the Journal of Natural Products. They can also be used for toothaches due to their pain-killing properties.

* Aphrodisiac Properties

Since ancient times, spices such as clove and nutmeg have been said to possess aphrodisiac properties, according to Unani medicine. Experiments on clove and nutmeg extracts were tested against standard drugs administered for that reason, and both clove and nutmeg showed positive results.

* Headache Treatment

Headaches may be reduced by using cloves. Make a paste of a few spice buds and mix it with a dash of rock salt. Add this to a glass of milk. This mixture reduces headaches quickly and effectively.