6 Proven Health Benefits Of Cloves

Fans of Asian cuisine are sure to be familiar with the signature aroma and flavor of cloves. These tiny, dried flower buds belonging to the evergreen clove tree is not only used for cooking but has also been used for centuries in ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine.

Clove is a rich source of compounds like eugenol and flavonoids like kaempferol. These are responsible for lending clove its potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In addition to this, compounds like methyl salicylate and beta-caryophyllene work hand in hand with eugenol to make clove an effective pain killer and antibacterial medicine that is widely used by Western medicine in dental procedures.

# Cures Bad Breath

According to Chinese medicine, Qi is the energy that flows within the body and is said to aid in the movement of lymph, blood, nutrients, and toxins into and out of the body. Chinese medicine also believes that it is the stagnation of this energy that causes bad breath. Clove boosts Qi flow and has been used in Chinese medicine as an all-natural cure for bad breath.

Clove cleans out the tongue, palate and the upper parts of the throat, eliminating any bacteria or decaying matter and its strong odor that alter the smell within the mouth. Chewing on some cloves or gargling with clove solution is the simplest way to keep bad breath at bay.

# Improves Digestion

Clove contains essential oils like eugenic acid and crategolic acid that boost digestion. Clove triggers an increase in the production of digestive enzymes as well and also increases digestive motility, thus putting a halt on the overproduction of digestive gasses, which can otherwise lead to stomach bloating and flatulence. Cloves also soothe the gastrointestinal lining, thus alleviating diarrhea, stomach ache, and vomiting.

# Controls Diabetes

Eating cloves with your meals can help bring down your insulin resistance levels significantly. Cloves also help insulin function better and much more efficiently, so that your body ends up using far less insulin to pull excess glucose into its cells for energy generation. Research demonstrates that not only do cloves boost insulin functioning and promote lower blood glucose levels, they also bring down total cholesterol, “bad cholesterol” or Low- Density Lipoprotein (LDL) levels and triglyceride levels in type 2 diabetes patients.

# Promotes Good Bone Health

The hydro-alcoholic extracts of cloves such as flavones, isoflavones, flavonoids, and eugenol safeguard bone density and the overall mineral content of your bones. They also work to boost the tensile strength of your bones.

Cloves are rich in bone-friendly nutrients such as manganese (a mineral that is essential for the production of connective tissue in bone and cartilage), omega-3 fatty acids (that aid in easier calcium absorption, bring down bone loss and help maintain healthy mineral density), Vitamin C (that boosts collagen production) and Vitamin K (that regulates and controls the activity of osteoclast cells).

# Protects The Liver

The high amount of antioxidants in cloves shields your organs, particularly your liver, from harmful free radicals. Over time, metabolism brings about an increase in the production of free radicals while simultaneously bringing down the level of antioxidants in the liver that help fight these free radicals off. With its hepatoprotective properties, clove helps to counteract these effects, thus promoting long-lasting liver health.

# Improves Immunity

Cloves are full of nutrients like iron and Vitamin C which boost immunity. It is, however, eugenol, that is really the star ingredient of cloves that makes a significant contribution in terms of boosting immunity. Clove also contains anti-viral and blood purification properties that reduce toxicity levels in the bloodstream and increase resistance against a wide variety of diseases by triggering antioxidant activity throughout the body. In this way, it helps make your immune system healthier and stronger so that you may stay protected from bacteria, germs, and viruses.