Cloves are tiny dry flower buds, harvested from the clove tree. They have a nice, sweet, penetrating flavor used in baking and cooking. Apart from its culinary uses, cloves play a significant role in keeping a body healthy. Cloveshas properties that can be attributed to the antifungal, antioxidant, aphrodisiac, antiseptic, antiviral, analgesic, antibacterial as well as the anti-inflammatory.
This spice has over thirty different ingredients, eugenol being one of the essential ones. Additionally, cloves are rich in iron, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, iodine, dietary fiber, vitamins K and C, manganese, calcium, magnesium and omega 3 fatty acids.
With all these ingredients and properties, it is not difficult to understand why cloves can be very useful for our health. This article shall discuss the best seven benefits of cloves.
Stopping bad breath
Naturally,cloves have antiseptic properties, and this helps to get rid of bad breath. They can kill the bacteria that cause bad breath in your mouth. Other than cleaning bacteria, they will remove any decaying matter from the palate, tongue including the upper part of the throat. These aromatic properties assist in fighting foul breath.
How to use: Simply chew some pieces of cloves. The bad breath issue will be gone in a few minutes. You can also mouthwash with cool clove tea three times a day.
Soothing toothaches
You can use clove for abscess tooth. Their anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving components help reduce swelling around the infected tooth, relieving the pain. Moreover, their antiseptic properties help to fight infections in the affected area and ensure it doesn’t spread.
How to use: Pour some clove oil onto a piece of cotton and rub it on the sore tooth, including the surrounding gums. You can also grind two cloves and add a few drops of olive oil. The mixture is then applied to the affected area. In case you get some clove leaves, consider crushing it and placing the leaf onto the painful tooth. Leave it there for some minutes.
Treating nausea and vomiting
Cloves are capable of relieving nausea because of their soothing and aromatic properties. You can rely on cloves to cure nausea that relates to morning sickness and pregnancy.
How to use: If you would like to get relief from nausea instantly, take a handkerchief and place a few drops of clove oil. Inhale the smell. You can also chew one or two cloves. To deal with vomiting problems, mix powdered cloves with some honey and swallow the mixture. You may even combine a few clove oil drops into a glass of lukewarm water and then sip it.
Improving digestion
Because cloves have carminative properties that may relieve flatulence and hinder the formation of gas, clove plays a vital role in the body’s digestive process. They can help boost up the digestive system by enhancing enzyme production in the digestive tract. Cloves may also assist in relaxing the smooth lining of the gastrointestinal tract; this, in turn, alleviates diarrhea, vomiting, stomach aches, intestinal gas and gastric irritability. Besides, essential oils found in clove are effective in reducing inflammation and fighting bacteria in the stomach, keeping stomach infections away.
How to use: You can choose to add some cloves in your foods to boost the digestive system. You may also take a clove after every meal.
Treating headaches
If you are suffering from a headache caused by a migraine, tension or cold, clove oil helps you get rid of the problem quickly. This can be attributed to the anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties of clove oil. What’s more, the cooling and soothing effect of the essential oil helps reduce the pain.
How to use: Place some clove oil drops onto a piece of clean cloth or tissue and then place it on your forehead. Leave it there for 15-20 minutes. This helps to open blood vessels and ease a headache. Another option is to mix a few clove oil drops and one teaspoon of sea salt with two teaspoons of almond oil, coconut oil or any other carrier oils. Massage the oil mixture on the forehead.
Easing earaches
The mild anesthetic and antibacterial properties in cloves might give immediate relief from earaches and still treat ear infections.
How to use: Mix one tablespoon of cloves you have crushed into ¼ cup of olive oil (boiling oil). Allow it to stand for about 35 minutes, and then strain it. Place a few drops of the mixture into the affected ear and let it stay for at least 10 minutes before draining it out of the ears.
Relieving joint pain
Due to its anti-inflammatory and anesthetic properties, clove oil can reduce inflammation and ease arthritis pain, joint pain as well as muscle aches. Since cloves are rich in omega- 3 fatty acids, iron, and calcium, clove oil may improve joints and bone strength.
How to use: Roast some cloves and wrap them in a soft piece of cloth. While still warm, place the pouch on the affected body part until the pain subsides. Another option is to mix clove essential oil with olive oil and then massage the painful joints, sore muscles or any part of the body that’s affected by arthritis and rheumatism.
With all these benefits of clove, this is a spice you cannot ignore. Remember that excessive use of clove oil or clove can negatively impact your health. So do not overindulge.
Susan Hamilton in a food engineer and a homemade-everything type of woman. When she’s not growing her own fruits and vegetables or creating homemade recipes for her family, she likes sewing and relaxing with her family. In her quiet moments, she spends time editing articles for HomeRemedyBook.com, a website about how to follow a healthy lifestyle and natural home remedies.