Cloves

Species name: Eugenia caryophyllus.

Also known as: Cloves are well known for many different uses. They have been used for many years for different purposes both in cooking and in herbal remedies.

What is Cloves: What are cloves? The history of cloves is an interesting one. They have long been used as a spice in Indian cuisine but they have other uses as well.

They have been consumed in Asia for more than 2,000 years.

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. This is what is used in making spices and for medicinal uses.

Cloves are about 1/2 inch long and ¼ inch in diameter and with their tapered stem, they resemble tiny nails. Because of this, their English name comes from the Latin word clavus, which means nail.

Home Remedies using Cloves:

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 comes from the sultry tropical climates where they are grown.

They are even used in cigarettes due to their sweet flavor and aroma. Oddly enough, cloves are proven unsafe when inhaled and clove cigarettes are considered more dangerous than tobacco varieties.

Benefits of Cloves:

There are more than just the recreational benefits to cloves. There are many medicinal benefits to cloves as well which you may not be aware of.

Cloves have been used to cure toothache and also in cases of throat and mouth inflammation. Cloves have also been taken for diarrhea, most liver, stomach and bowel ailments, and as a stimulant for the nerves.

Cloves are believed to have antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties which make them a great relief for many different conditions and disorders.

Traditionally cloves have been used to treat flatulence, nausea and vomiting. They have also been used in some countries for treating infections such as malaria, cholera and tuberculosis, as well as scabies. In America, cloves have been used for treating worms, viruses, candida, various bacterial and protozoan infections.

Uses of Cloves:

• For toothache
• For mouth and throat inflammation
• Consumed orally
• Do not inhale/smoke cloves

Side Effects of Cloves:

Some people are allergic to cloves.