Cloves, which are high in antioxidants, are among the popular spices with many benefits from helping to regulate blood sugar to contributing to the immune system. This spice gets its beneficial properties from its nutritional values. While 2 grams of ground clove contains about 6 calories and 1 gram of carbohydrates, it attracts attention with meeting about 55 percent of the daily manganese need. Especially the manganese content makes this spice one of the rich food sources. You can use cloves, which are low in calories, in herbal teas, desserts and even hot meals to benefit from its benefits.
How is clove used?
Whole or ground cloves can be added directly to sauces, soups, and many rice-cooked foods. It can also be preferred to reveal an alternative flavor in cookies and pies prepared with spices such as cinnamon. In addition to these, you can add a pinch of cloves to almost any herbal tea you prepare for yourself. At the same time, you can prepare a herbal tea with cloves alone and consume it. For this, it is enough to put 4 pinches of cloves in the french press and add a cup of boiling water to it and leave it to infuse for 4 minutes. Apart from all these methods, this spice can also be consumed by chewing.
What are cloves good for?
Clove, which is a rich source of manganese and is loved more than many alternatives with its pleasant smell, helps to strengthen the immune system thanks to its high antioxidant properties. In this way, it also contributes to reducing cell damage that causes the development of chronic diseases. In particular, the eugenol it contains is one of the most beneficial antioxidants in its content. The benefits of cloves include:
- Clove has antimicrobial properties. In this way, it has been used as a support for oral health throughout human history.
- A mouthwash prepared with clove juice helps strengthen the gums.
- The eugenol in its content contributes to the improvement of liver health by supporting the reduction of inflammation.
- Nigericin, found in the essence of cloves, helps to balance blood sugar thanks to its rich content.
- Manganese is a very useful mineral for bones. With its manganese content, cloves help strengthen bones.
- With the antimicrobial property of cloves, it can support the treatment of stomach ulcers. However, in case of illness, a physician must be consulted.
In addition to all these benefits, clove also provides aromatherapy properties thanks to its pleasant smell. Especially by boiling clove oil, you can spread this pleasant smell to your home.
What is the use of chewing cloves?
Chewing cloves helps you take advantage of the beneficial properties of this spice. As with many healthy foods, you can benefit from its beneficial properties by including this spice in your daily life as part of a healthy and balanced diet. However, among the benefits of chewing cloves is the prevention of bad breath the most. When you chew the clove, you feel a fresher breath. However, you can also benefit from the benefits of the essence of the spice for your teeth.
What is good to boil and drink cloves?
Boiling and drinking cloves helps you consume the essence of the spice in the best way possible. However, clove tea is a sharp yet delicious beverage. However, the eugenol contained in cloves can have a toxic effect when consumed in high amounts. This can cause liver damage, especially in children. This side effect, which may occur due to eugenol, can be counted among the harms of cloves. Other side effects of clove can be listed as follows:
- Cloves may interact with blood thinners to increase the risk of bleeding.
- It can cause blood sugar to drop too low.
- It may have an allergic effect due to the eugenol in its content.
All these side effects usually occur when too much clove is consumed. However, if you consume cloves in a controlled manner, you are less likely to experience side effects.
How much clove should be consumed per day?
According to the World Health Organization, a maximum of 2.5 mg of clove powder should be consumed per 1 kilogram of body weight daily. However, it should be noted that this rate is relative and may vary for children, pregnant women, those with chronic diseases and those who use drugs continuously. There is usually no harm in drinking a cup of clove tea daily. However, if you are consuming too much, it may be beneficial to consult a physician.
What are the benefits of clove oil?
At the beginning of the benefits of clove oil is that it helps to relieve toothaches. In particular, it gives a feeling of numbness in the area where pain occurs due to bruises. However, in this case, you should definitely consult a dentist. In addition, cloves have many benefits for hair. You can mix clove oil with different essential oils or olive oil and apply it to your hair roots. Thus, the minerals in the oil will help strengthen your hair and make it look lively and shiny.