Unlocking the hidden health benefits of everyday cloves
Cloves are an indispensable ingredient in gingerbread spice. When pierced into oranges, they create a festive atmosphere and stimulate the senses with their distinctive aroma. However, few people realize that cloves are worth remembering not just before Christmas. They have a protective effect on the stomach, help fight infections, and may even inhibit the development of cancer. I already know how to utilize their beneficial properties.
So far, I've added them to autumn infusions, cakes, borscht, or mulled wine. Whenever I encountered them while eating, I instinctively set them aside. However, cloves can be eaten whole. Moreover, they have a positive impact on health. They support the body in fighting infections, relieve toothaches, and aid in sleeping.
Where do cloves come from?
This spice was known in ancient Rome, and fragments of cloves have been found in the ruins of a burned house from 1720 BCE, located in Syria. However, they became known to modern Europeans in the 16th century with Antonio de Abreu's discovery of the Maluku Islands (previously known as the Moluccas) in Indonesia, which are often referred to as the Spice Islands.
The cloves we know from gingerbread spice are actually dried flower buds of the clove tree. Currently, clove plantations are found not only in Indonesia but also in India, Sri Lanka, and Zanzibar.
Valuable properties of cloves
Cloves owe their health benefits primarily to essential oils, with eugenol being the dominant one. This compound has natural antioxidant properties. Eugenol fights free radicals at a level similar to vitamin E. Eugenol also has anti-inflammatory properties, helping in the treatment of joint diseases and stomach ulcers.
If consuming two cloves a day can reduce the risk of cancer, it's worth considering. Certainly, such a quantity won't harm you; an added benefit will be fresher breath. However, not everyone should consume them this way. People prone to food allergies, those on medication, children, and pregnant women should be cautious about eating whole cloves. The permissible daily amount of cloves is a maximum of six pieces.
