CLOVES

The dry, unopened flower bud of the tropical myrtle tree family used to flavour a wide variety of sweet and savoury dishes. Cloves can be used whole or ground to impart a strong sweet but spicy and peppery flavour so should be used in moderation to avoid over seasoning.

Insert whole cloves into baked hams or oranges, apples or onions to add flavour or add ground cloves to curries.

Prepare it

It's best to grind whole cloves into powder, using a mortar and pestle, just prior to using them to ensure flavour and freshness are at their peak. To stud an ingredient with cloves, stick whole cloves into it so that the bud heads protrude. Make sure to remove whole cloves before serving as they have a strong, pungent and slightly unpleasant flavour on their own.

Like other spices, cloves are available throughout the year. They are renowned for providing their uniquely warm, sweet and aromatic taste to ginger bread and pumpkin pie, but they can also make a wonderful addition to split pea and bean soups, baked beans and chili.

Cloves are the unopened pink flower buds of the evergreen clove tree. The buds are picked by hand when they are pink and dried until they turn brown in color. Cloves are about 1/2-inch long and 1/4-inch in diameter and with their tapered stem, they resemble tiny nails. In fact, their English name is actually derived from the Latin word clavus, which means nail. Although cloves have a very hard exterior, their flesh features an oily compound that is essential to their nutritional and flavor profile. 

Nutrients in
Cloves
2.00 tsp (4.20 grams)

Nutrient%Daily Value

 manganese63%

 omega-3 fats7.5%

 vitamin K7.4%

 fiber5.7%

 vitamin C5.6%

 magnesium2.7%

 calcium2.7%

Calories (13)0%

This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Cloves provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Cloves can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Cloves, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart.

Health Benefits

Teeth and Gums: Eugenol (oil of clove) is formidable medicine against many forms of oral discomfort and disease. It acts as an analgesic to reduce pain, an anti-inflammatory to lessen redness and swelling, an anti-bacterial, killing germs. The oil fights gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease when gums are inflamed, and periodontitis, the later stage when gums recede and bone erodes. It’s also effective against stomatitis, a painful inflammation of the mucous lining of the mouth, caused by factors such as medications, poor dental hygiene, or ill-fitting dentures. Rub several drops of oil around a painful tooth or tissue so blood vessels near the gum dilate and circulation increases with a warm, soothing sensation.

Cloves are not, however, a cure for cavities. Use the oil for pain relief until you can make a trip to the dentist!

Fight Infections: Cloves are very effective in stopping growth of many types of bacteria associated with disease, e.g., E. coli (food poisoning), Staphylococcus (staph infections), proteus (bladder infection), Enterobacter (hospital-acquired infections), Pseudomonas (urinary tract infections). In many cases, the spice worked better than amoxicillin (Amoxil), a common antibiotic and without developing any resistance.

A hot tea made with cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon and majoram helps relieve bronchitis, asthma, coughs, as well as the tendency to infection. This combo is also effective against tuberculosis, altitude sickness, nervous stomach, nausea, diarrhea, flatulence, indigestion, dyspepsia, gastroenteritis, the side effects of lobelia, and depression.

Mosquito repellent: Clove oil beats citronella candles vs. mosquito bites. Thai researchers enlisted volunteers to stick their forearms into an area dense with mosquitoes. Only a few essential oils protected against bites, including citronella, patchouli and clove, providing two hours of “complete repellency.” When these oils were retested, only clove oil gave “100 percent repellency” for 4 hours.

Blood clots: Blood clots that plug arteries are the cause of most heart attacks and strokes. Clots are caused in part by platelet aggregation – plate-shaped blood cells become sticky and clump together. Danish researchers tested eugenol against two “blood thinning” medications that fight platelet aggregation – aspirin and indomethacin (Indocin) – and found eugenol more effective than aspirin and equal to indomethacin.

Anti-Cancer: There is growing scientific awareness that many spices possess anti- carcinogenic properties and clove appears to be among them. Studies on animals with lung and skin cancers show that eugenol can stop cancer cells from multiplying. More research is needed.

Digestive aid: for nausea, gas, diarrhea, bloating and colic. A simple digestive aid: add 1 teaspoon of powdered clove to 1 cup boiling water. Drink 3 times each day.

Women’s health: The antispasmodic properties of clove make it helpful in preparation for childbirth. The herb helps to relieve muscle spasms, make contractions stronger and aid in labor.

Skin problems: Due to its anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties, clove oil is an ideal remedy for acne, warts and scars.

Type 2 diabetes: Studies have shown that consuming a clove or two a day can help normalize insulin function by lowering blood glucose levels, as well as reducing cholesterol.

Some folk remedies: For insomnia: drink a tea with cloves and water before bedtime. An aphrodisiac: in India, clove — eaten or smelled— is considered a powerful aphrodisiac. For headaches: clove acts as a stress reliever; a little salt is mixed with clove oil and rubbed on the forehead and temples. For earache: put a little warmed oil of clove on a piece of cotton and in the ear.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity

Eugenol, the primary component of clove's volatile oils, functions as an anti-inflammatory substance. In animal studies, the addition of clove extract to diets already high in anti-inflammatory components (like cod liver oil, with its high omega-3 fatty acid content) brings significant added benefits, and in some studies, further reduces inflammatory symptoms by another 15-30%. Clove also contains a variety of flavonoids, including kaempferol andrhamnetin, which also contribute to clove's anti-inflammatory (and antioxidant) properties.

A Nutrient-Dense Spice

Like its fellow spices, clove's unique phytonutrient components are accompanied by an incredible variety of traditionally-recognized nutrients. Using our nutrient ranking system, we determined cloves to be an excellent source of manganese, a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin K, dietary fiber, and vitamin C and a good source of calcium and magnesium.

Description

Cloves are the unopened pink flower buds of the evergreen clove tree. The buds are picked by hand when they are pink and dried until they turn brown in color. Cloves are about 1/2-inch long and 1/4-inch in diameter and with their tapered stem, they resemble tiny nails. In fact, their English name is actually derived from the Latin word clavus, which means nail.

Although cloves have a very hard exterior, their flesh features an oily compound that is essential to their nutritional and flavor profile. Cloves have a warm, sweet and aromatic taste that evokes the sultry tropical climates where they are grown.

The Latin name for cloves is Eugenia caryophyllus.

History

Cloves are native to the Moluccas, formerly known as the Spice Islands of Indonesia. They have been consumed in Asia for more than 2,000 years. Owing to their sweet and fragrant taste, Chinese courtiers dating back to 200 BC would keep them in their mouths in order to freshen their breath when addressing the emperor so as to not offend him. Arab traders brought cloves to Europe around the 4th century, although they did not come into widespread use until the Middle Ages when they became prized for their pungent flavor that served to mask the taste of poorly preserved foods. While for a long time, they were cultivated almost exclusively in Indonesia, today the leading clove-producing region is Zanzibar in Eastern Africa. In addition to these two regions, cloves are also grown commercially in the West Indies, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, India, Pemba and Brazil.

How to Select and Store

Whenever possible, buy whole cloves instead of clove powder since the latter loses its flavor more quickly. When squeezed with a fingernail, good quality cloves will release some of their oil. Alternatively, you can place a clove in a cup of water. Those of good quality will float vertically while those that are stale will either sink or float horizontally.

Even through dried herbs and spices are widely available in supermarkets, explore the local spice stores or ethnic markets in your area. Oftentimes, these stores feature an expansive selection of dried herbs and spices that are of superior quality and freshness compared to those offered in regular markets. Just like with other dried spices, try to select organically grown cloves since this will give you more assurance that the herb has not been irradiated.

Cloves should be kept in a tightly sealed glass container in a cool, dark and dry place. Ground cloves will keep for about six months, while whole cloves will stay fresh for about one year stored this way. Alternatively, you can extend their shelf life by storing them in the refrigerator.

Tips for Preparing and Cooking

Tips for Cooking with Cloves

Since cloves have a very intense flavor, especially those that have been ground, care should be taken when deciding how much to use in a recipe so as to not overpower the flavors of the other ingredients.

The easiest way to grind whole cloves into a powder is to use a coffee grinder.

How to Enjoy

A Few Quick Serving Ideas

• Pierce an onion with whole cloves and add to soups, broths or poaching liquids.
• Adding ground cloves and curry powder to healthy sautéed onions, garlic and tofu will give this dish an Indian-inspired zest.
• Impart a warming note to apple cider by adding ground cloves and cinnamon.
• Spice up fruit compote by adding ground cloves.
• Add clove powder, walnuts and raisins to your favorite Thanksgiving stuffing recipe.