Cloves are a popular flavouring agents used in a variety of ways across the world, particularly in Asia. It is mainly used in Indian food to add a nice flavour and a bit of spiciness to it. Apart from using in food, cloves have many other uses too, thanks to their benefits! Apart from its culinary uses, cloves can also play a key role in keeping your body healthy and free from many diseases. Here are the top benefits and uses of cloves:
BENEFITS
BETTER DIGESTION
Cloves play a key role in the digestion process due to their calmative properties. Cloves alleviate vomiting, diarrhoea, intestinal gas, gastric irritability and stomach aches. Also, the essential oils in clove are very effective in reducing inflammation in the stomach and it also kills unwanted bacteria lining the intestine.
RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS
Cloves have expectorant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Due to this reason. They are very effective for the respiratory system. Cloves can be used to treat various respiratory problems like sinusitis, clogged nose, asthma, sore throat, tuberculosis and common cold.
INTI INFLAMMATORY
Cloves contain eugenol that reduces inflammation and pain associated with it. Eugenol has the ability to reduce pain by stimulating pain receptors. It can be used to treat joint pains, headaches, muscle soreness etc.
BOOSTS IMMUNITY
Clove boosts the immune system by increasing the white blood cell count, thereby improving delayed type hypersensitivity. This is due to immunity boosting compounds in clove, preferably the dried flower buds of clove.
TOOTHACHE
Clove and its oil is well known for its use in treating toothache! It can be placed on the paining tooth and sucked till it gets soft. It also reduces swelling and pain related to freshly applied braces.
USES
HEADACHE
Simply put a few drops of clove oil or extracted clove juice on a piece of tissue or cloth. Place it on your forehead and leave it on for about 15 minutes. This will help open the blood vessels and alleviate your headache. You can also mix few drops of clove oil or juice in coconut oil and massage forehead and cover it with warm towel or cloth.
EAR ACHES
Mix one tablespoon of crushed cloves in one-fourth cup of hot olive oil and let it sit for 30 minutes. Strain it properly making sure there are no traces left. Apply warm oil over the ear and side of the neck to relieve acute pain.
TOOTHACHE
You can use either raw clove, clove infused oil (like mentioned before), commercial clove essential oil or extracted clove juice. If using raw clove, simply place it on the tooth and suck it. Oil can be applied on the affected tooth and surrounding gums overnight.
WOUNDS
Apply diluted clove oil (1%) topically on the wounds or sores. It is antiseptic in nature and can kill any germs and also heal wounds. Another method is to ground cloves and mix it with organic raw honey, and use it topically on the wounds.
PIMPLES
Clove face mask can be used to prevent and heal pimples. Combine 1 tablespoon clove powder/ground cloves, ½ teaspoon honey and 4 drops fresh lemon juice. Apply this to entire face and wash off after 20 minutes using cold water.