Cloves: From holiday spice to health powerhouse
Cloves are an essential ingredient in gingerbread spice. When pierced into oranges, they create a festive atmosphere and captivate the senses with their distinctive aroma. However, few are aware that cloves are worth remembering, not just before Christmas. They have protective effects on the stomach, help combat infections, and even inhibit the growth of cancer. I have discovered how to harness their valuable properties.
So far, I've added them to autumn infusions, cakes, borscht, and mulled wine. Whenever I encountered them while eating, I instinctively set them aside. However, it turns out that cloves can be eaten whole. Furthermore, they have a beneficial impact on health. They support the body in fighting infections, relieve toothache, and aid in falling asleep.
Where do cloves come from?
The spice was already known in ancient Rome. Fragments of cloves were also found in the ruins of a burned house from 1720 BCE, located in what is now Syria. However, they became known to modern Europeans in the 16th century with Antonio de Abreu's discovery of the Moluccas archipelago in Indonesia, known as the Spice Islands.
The cloves we recognise from gingerbread spice are actually dried buds of the clove tree flowers. Today, 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, among which eugenol is dominant. Eugenol is a compound with natural antioxidant properties. It fights free radicals at a level similar to vitamin E. Eugenol also has anti-inflammatory properties and assists in treating joint diseases and stomach ulcers.
Eating two cloves daily can reduce cancer risk, but it's worth a try. Such a quantity certainly won't harm you; an additional effect will be fresh breath. However, not everyone is advised to consume them in this manner. People prone to food allergies, those taking medication, children, and pregnant women should be cautious about eating whole cloves. The recommended daily amount of cloves is a maximum of 6 pieces.
