5 Health Benefits of Cloves

Cloves are the scent of autumn, cold weather, holidays, and pumpkin pie. Their sweet, warm flavor brings richness and depth to dishes such as cookies, cakes, soups, curries, or chutneys. While they might not come to mind as a healthy food, cloves pack some important nutrients and health benefits. 

While cloves are a popular spice to cook with, they have also been an important ingredient in traditional medicine practices for many years. However, researchers have only recently started investigating the potential health benefits of cloves in these traditional medicines. Studies have shown that cloves have various health benefits in addition to the delicious flavor they bring to meals.

{{mid-cta}}

What Are Cloves?

Cloves are a common spice from Indonesia. They are dried flower buds from the clove tree Syzygium aromaticum, native to the Spice Islands in eastern Indonesia. In the late Middle Ages, the spice spread throughout Asia and Europe and is today used widely in a variety of cuisines.

The spice can be used as a ground powder or in its whole form. Whole clove buds are shaped like a small, brown spike with a bulbous head. The ground form can be mixed into dishes or spice mixes. You would probably recognize cloves' sweet, warm, and spicy aroma. They are often used among other spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, to flavor sweet dishes, especially fall desserts and drinks such as mulled wine, cider, or chai. 

What Are the Health Benefits of Cloves?

Along with their distinctive, spicy flavor, cloves comprise a range of health benefits, from antimicrobial properties to lowering blood sugar.

1. Nutritional Value

While used in very small amounts, cloves can be a significant source of manganese, with one teaspoon containing 55% of the recommended daily amount of manganese.

One teaspoon of ground cloves contains:¹ 

• Calories: 6
• Carbohydrates: 1g
• Fiber: 1g
• Manganese: 0.63mg (55% daily value)
• Vitamin K: 3.0mcg (2% daily value)
• Calcium: 13.3mg

2. Bone Health

Cloves get their distinct scent and flavor from a chemical called eugenol, which has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Eugenol has also been shown to help improve bone mass by suppressing inflammatory pathways. Low bone mass affects 13% of the American population and can develop into serious issues like osteoporosis. Cloves could potentially help with this through their anti-inflammatory properties and their high amount of manganese, which is an essential nutrient for bone health.¹

3. Oral Health

One of the most popular medicinal uses of clove is for toothaches, given its ability to ease pain and numb a localized area. Research has shown clove gel to be comparable to benzocaine, a local anesthetic, in its ability to numb pain in the mouth.²

Cloves also have antibacterial properties, and research has demonstrated the potential for cloves to reduce oral bacteria and the buildup of plaque and gingivitis. One study tested two types of mouthwash: a commercially available essential oil mouthrinse and another mouth rinse made with clove, tea tree, and basil oil. The group's improvements with the herbal mouth rinse were comparable to those using the commercially available essential oil mouth rinse. In addition, the amount of bacteria was most reduced in the group who used the mouthwash containing cloves.³

4. Cancer

Cloves have long been part of traditional Chinese medicine and contain many bioactive compounds that can affect the human body. Some of these compounds are antioxidants, neutralizing free radicals, protecting cells from damage, and reducing the likelihood of chronic diseases, including cancer. Antioxidants are widely available in fruits, vegetables, and spices. One study showed that cloves had the strongest antioxidant properties of five common spices: cloves, oregano, thyme, sage, and rosemary. Cloves might also have very specific compounds that have cancer-fighting properties. One study has shown that the clove extract ethyl acetate displayed antitumor activity and toxicity toward cancer cells, suggesting that clove might be a promising new therapeutic treatment.^{4, 5}

5. Blood Sugar Regulation

Cloves contain various compounds that have been shown to affect blood sugar and insulin sensitivity. The compound eugenol has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels in animal models. Clove extract and the compound nigericin, a clove extract component, increased insulin sensitivity in mouse muscle cells.⁶

Diabetic mice also had improved insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, secretion, and beta cell function when consuming nigericin. These studies were conducted in animal models and might not be applicable to humans, but other research has shown promising results for humans.⁷

One study gave people with and without prediabetes 250 milligrams of clove extract daily for a month, and both groups demonstrated lower postprandial glucose levels.⁸

<div class="pro-tip"><strong>Learn More: </strong><a href=herbs-and-spices-that-can-help-you-lose-weight>10 Herbs and Spices That Can Help You Lose Weight</a>.</div>

Cloves: Potential Side Effects and Risks

Cloves have multiple health benefits and have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to be Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). Eating typical amounts is safe and healthy if you don’t have an allergy. Still, clove, especially clove oil, is a potent ingredient that can cause serious health issues if consumed excessively. Here are the possible side effects of cloves that you should consider when adding this spice to your diet.

1. Dangerous for Children

Cloves contain some amounts of eugenol, but clove oil contains this chemical in a highly concentrated form. For this reason, clove oil should not be taken orally, especially for children, since it can be toxic. There have been cases of serious harm done to children who consumed even small amounts of clove oil. The one-year-old child experienced liver failure after consuming 10 milliliters of clove oil. Another 5-year-old child was put in a coma and experienced liver damage and blood clotting problems after consuming 5-10 milliliters of clove oil.⁹

2. It May Interfere With Certain Medications

The eugenol in cloves can slow blood clotting and interact with certain medications, especially blood thinners such as warfarin. Cloves can also interact with diabetes and blood sugar medications. Make sure you talk to your doctor if you are taking any medications so they can ensure there are no dangerous interactions or side effects. 

3. Not Suitable for People With Bleeding Disorders

Eugenol's ability to slow blood clotting makes it unsafe for people with bleeding disorders. Talk to a healthcare professional before supplementing with clove oil, and stop taking it at least two weeks before any sort of surgery.

4. It Can Have Toxic Effects on Your Liver

The compound eugenol can harm your liver when taken in high amounts. Clove oil is toxic in high amounts, around 10-30 milliliters, which is about 2 to 6 teaspoons. Symptoms of liver damage include jaundice, which will be seen 12-24 hours after ingestion of the clove oil. Other symptoms might include agitation, decreased alertness, and coma.¹⁰

5. It Has Not Proven to Be Safe for People Who Are Pregnant or Breastfeeding

The use of cloves or clove oil has not been researched in people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Therefore, these people should refrain from taking clove dietary supplements to stay safe and stick to the amounts of cloves recommended in recipes.

How to Use Cloves

Cloves can be used for flavor, aroma, or health benefits. They can be used in various ways, such as on the skin or in foods. Read on to learn how you could incorporate cloves into your lifestyle.  

1. Dental

Mouthwashes containing clove oil can be used to support dental health. If you have a toothache, you can take a small amount of clove oil and dab it onto the affected tooth to numb the pain. However, make sure not to touch your gums since using clove oil on the gums can cause irritation and damage.¹¹

2. Topical

Clove oil can be applied to the skin by mixing 10-15 drops of clove oil with a carrier oil like coconut oil and applying it to the skin. Topical use of clove oil could be beneficial for itching, as shown in some studies. In one study, researchers found that the numbing effects of clove significantly reduced itching.¹²

3. Fragrance

Some perfumes use cloves, and clove essential oils are also sold for their aromatic scent. To make your home smell amazing, make a pomander, a whole orange with whole cloves stuck into the outer skin. Hang it somewhere in your house to create an aromatic ornament that will release a refreshing, citrusy, spicy scent.
You can also enjoy the cloves’ aroma by making a stovetop potpourri. Combine cloves, cinnamon, vanilla, and water in a pot on the stove to fill your home with a delicious aroma.

4. In Foods

Like cinnamon or nutmeg, cloves can be used in sweet, warm dishes. They are a staple spice in South Asian cuisines and part of popular spice blends such as allspice, garam masala, and Chinese five-spice powder. Cloves can be added to cider, chai, pumpkin pie, gingerbread cookies, muffins, curries, Indian biryani, and meat dishes such as baked ham or lamb, among many other recipes.

Learn More About How to Improve Blood Sugar Health With Signos’ Expert Advice

Figuring out what foods to eat for your health can be challenging, especially because your body is unique, and what works for others might not work for you. Optimizing your health can get even more complicated when you factor in other aspects like sleep, exercise, and stress. Knowing what steps to take to reach your health goals often seems complicated, but it doesn’t have to be.

Signos provides insight into how your body responds to everything from food to medications and helps you form healthy habits that will last. With insights from the Signos CGM and Signos experts’ advice, you can analyze one of the most important factors for your health: your glucose levels. Then, you can make small changes to reach your goals for better metabolic health and weight loss. You can learn more about glucose levels on Signos’ blog. Not sure if you’re a good fit? Find out by taking a quick quiz.

<div class="pro-tip"><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href=spices-that-may-lower-blood-sugar>Spices That May Lower Blood Sugar</a>.</div>