Cloves bring a warm, aromatic flavour to everything from spiced chai to pilau. But what about the health benefits often mentioned online? Here is a practical guide to enjoying this spice, understanding the evidence and choosing cloves for your kitchen.
What are cloves?
Cloves are dried flower buds used as a spice. Their distinctive aroma comes from a compound called eugenol. According to Cleveland Clinic’s guide to cloves, they add warmth and sweetness to baked goods, sauces, marinades and drinks.
The everyday benefits of cloves in cooking
The clearest reason to keep cloves in your cupboard is their flavour. A small amount adds depth to both sweet and savoury recipes.
- Spiced drinks: Add cloves to your favourite chai recipe alongside other spices.
- Rice and savoury dishes: Use cloves in pilau, spice blends and marinades.
- Baking: Try a little ground clove in spiced cakes, biscuits or fruit desserts.
Start with a small amount and adjust to taste: cloves have a strong flavour that can easily dominate a dish.
Do cloves have proven health benefits?
Cloves and eugenol attract interest in health research, but a promising laboratory result is not the same as a proven benefit from eating cloves. For example, an in-vitro study of eugenol and clove essential oil examined antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in a laboratory setting. It does not establish that adding cloves to food treats inflammation or prevents illness in people.
Cleveland Clinic notes that there is not enough scientific evidence to support cloves for medicinal purposes. Enjoy them as a food ingredient, not as a replacement for prescribed treatment or professional medical advice.
Whole cloves or ground cloves?
Choose the format that suits your recipe. Whole cloves are useful for infusing flavour into drinks and cooking liquids; remove them before serving. Ground cloves mix easily into batters, spice blends and marinades. Follow your recipe rather than substituting the same quantity of one for the other.
Clove spice is not the same as clove oil
Ordinary culinary use should not be confused with taking concentrated clove oil or supplements. The LiverTox reference on eugenol reports severe liver and kidney injury following high-dose ingestion, including accidental overdoses in children.
Do not drink clove essential oil or use it as a home treatment. If you are considering a clove supplement, speak with a qualified healthcare professional first, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have an existing medical condition. Keep essential oils out of children’s reach.
Shop cloves at Zucchini Food Market
Ready to add this aromatic spice to your cooking? Explore Nature’s Own Ground Spice Cloves or Tropical Heat Cloves Spice. Check each product page for pack options and current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use cloves in tea?
Yes, cloves can be used as a flavouring in tea and other spiced drinks. Use a culinary recipe and strain out whole cloves before drinking. Treat it as a drink to enjoy, not a medicinal dose.
Should I take cloves every day for health benefits?
This guide does not recommend a daily therapeutic dose. There is insufficient evidence to recommend cloves as a medicine. Use them to season food according to your taste and recipe.
Can cloves replace medicine?
No. Do not stop or change prescribed treatment because of claims about cloves. Discuss health concerns with a qualified healthcare professional.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic: 5 Potential Health Benefits of Cloves
- Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Activity of Eugenol, Bis-eugenol, and Clove Essential Oil: An In Vitro Study
- LiverTox: Eugenol (Clove Oil)
This article provides general food information, not medical advice.
