Image source: istockphoto
Cloves are spice commonly use for cooking stews, meats, sauce and much more. Cloves are dried flower buds obtained from clove plant.
However, not just it add flavor to dishes, it as well offers numerous benefits to the body.
Clove is scientifically known as Syzygium aromaticum, and belong to “Myrtaceae” family.
Cloves originated in Asian particularly Indonesia, where it is used mainly for cooking and traditional medicine. The tropical and subtropical plant is loaded with nutrients, and antioxidant such as magnesium, potassium, iron and calcium.
Nutritional fact (per 100g)
Water 9.87g
Energy 274kcal
Energy 1140kj
Carbohydrates 65.5g
Fiber 33.9g
Vitamin C 0.2?g
Riboflavin 0.22mg
Vitamin A 160IU
Niacin 1.56mg
Vitamin E 8.82mg
Magnesium 259mg
Phosphorus 104mg
Potassium 1020mg
Manganese 60.1mg
Clove health benefits include;improve digestion, serve as antibacterial, oral health, anti-inflammatory properties, good for the liver, enhance Immune system, prevent cancer, treat headache, good for the skin, and ulcer.
1. Improve digestion
Full absorption and utilization of food is being influenced by digestive system. Poor digestion of food triggers indigestion which is characterized by diarrhoea, flatulence, constipation among others. To prevent these condition, cloves may help boost your digestive performance, this is possible by incorporating clove in your meal regularly. Clove stimulate secretion of digestive juice that sufficiently facilitate digestion and decrease symptoms of indigestion. People mix the powdered form of it with honey as natural remedy for stomach problems.
2. Serve As Antibacterial
On daily bases were being expose to things that could infect us, but you can keep the body strong enough to fight off these pathogens by eating food that posses antibacterial properties. Clove has antimicrobial properties meaning it can drastically eliminate bacteria and viral infection out of the body ( 2) . How do you get the benefits? You get it by incorporating clove into your dishes.
3. Oral health
As mentioned above, it possess antimicrobial properties meaning that clove can prevent gum disease such as gingivitis. This is obtained by inhibiting growth of pathogens which affect oral health. It has a similar effect with pain-killer drugs.
4. Anti-inflammatory properties
Use of clove can be impressive for inflammation prevention owing to it anti-inflammatory properties. It has a chemical compound called Eugenol, which believed to be responsible for reduction of symptoms of inflammation.
5. Good for The liver
One of the liver’s function is the breaking down of large food molecules into a simpler form that the body can tolerant. When this function is defeated the body appears to face series of complications. However, clove can help sustain and keeps the the liver’s performance optimized. Thanks to phytochemical present in clove which help eliminate harmful effect of free radicals. Aside inhibiting free radicals, it reduce excess fat in the liver .( 3).
6. Enhance Immune system
Cloves are loaded with potassium, calcium, iron, dietary fiber and magnesium, they contribute amazingly for immune system. Clove stimulate secretion of White blood cells that help defend the body against disease. It is a good spice for immune booster. The iron is known for red blood cells production.
7. Help Present Cancer
Cloves have shown positive result following some studies on it. It was found to act as anticarcinogenic and mutagenic properties. Anticarcinogenic prevent growth of cancerous cells while mutagenic properties inhibit negative changes in the genetic sequence of DNA in the body that may lead to cancer . Therefore, adding clove in your food ingredients helps keeps you healthy.
8. Combat Headache
Clove can also serve as a natural remedy for headache since it properties works as a painkiller. Many use clove for cooking while some use it to make tea, the fact remain, clove helps relieves headache and maintain a healthy state.
9. Good For The Skin
The presence of antibacterial and Anti-inflammatory properties are an added advantage to the body. It reduce pimples and acne which scientifically proven to cause by bacterial that increase inflammation and result swelling of the tissues. Also the antioxidant minimize oxidative stress that can promote wrinkles and other unpleasant signs on the skin.
10. Help Treat Ulcer
Clove is also helpful in ulcer treatment
particular stomach ulcer. Ulcer affect the mucus lining that come with various symptoms. Use of clove may aid in stimulation of gastric mucus which further protect the mucus from being damage by the bacteria.
Conclusion
Cloves are use to prepare different foods. It contains multiple nutrients and phytochemical that offers health benefits. Even though some people like cloves for its spicy benefits, many prefer clove for the medicinal ben