Have you wondered about the immense effects cloves have on your body? Here is the complete guide for Clove.

What are Cloves?

How amazing is that tiny brown, aromatic bud that is a game changer when brewed or added to your dishes? You might have seen them amongst the spice mix kept aside for your favourite biryani and in several other culinary wonders. Besides the magic they create in the kitchen, Did you ever know they have numerous other health benefits?

Cloves are dried flower buds, and they originated in Indonesia. They are a well-liked spice that goes hand in hand with rice dishes, meats, stews, and sauces.

History of Cloves.

Since the structure and curves of a dried clove resemble a nail, their name is derived from the Latin word clavus, which means nail.

Cloves have been a part of traditional medicine and cooking techniques, but scientists have just started looking into their possible health advantages.

The Spice Islands of Indonesia are said to be the native land of Clove in the Moluccas and played a significant role in the early spice trade. Cloves have a strong aroma and a fiery, intense flavour. They are used to flavour various foods, especially meat products and baked goods. In the US and Europe, the spice is a common addition to Christmas dishes like mincemeat and wassail. To ensure they had a dominant position on this powerful ingredient, the Dutch even burned away every clove tree that did not grow on the spice islands under their authority. It is a component of the well-known five-spice blend from China.

Significance in Culinary and Medicinal Traditions.

Cloves are frequently used in spice mixtures, such as the well-known garam masala and Chinese five-spice powder used in meat marinades and rubs. They adorn pots of German braised red cabbage and whole-baked hams and are among the many spices needed to prepare Vietnamese pho.

This fragrant spice is frequently used to flavour hot beverages, such as hot apple cider, masala chai tea, and mulled wine. Another is adding taste to desserts such as gingerbread, pumpkin pie, and stewed apples and pears. Besides being a key component in Worcestershire sauce, cloves are frequently used in various sauces, jellies, and pickling concoctions to impart sweetness and spiciness. Before serving, whole cloves are usually taken out of drinks, sauces, and other preparations.

The Clove has been a part of Chinese and Indian traditional medicine systems for ages. It has been used as singleness and bled in other multi-herb formulations.

The Clove Plant.

The Clove is the flower bud of a tropical evergreen tree that belongs to the Myristicaceae family and is botanically called Syngeiyum aromaticum.

Botanical Description of Cloves.

Its simple, opposing, tiny leaves are studded with various glands. Typically, seeds are sown in places with shade. About the fifth year, the tree starts to flower, and each year, it can produce up to 34 kg of dried buds. The buds are selected by hand in late summer and sun-dried to perfection.

Geographic Origins and Cultivation.

The widespread colonisation results from the vast utilisation of cloves around the globe. Despite its hesitancy in Indonesia, Clove is widely used in many cuisines.

Today, cloves are harvested in Madagascar, Sri Lanka, India, Tanzania, Zanzibar, and other hot and tropical areas.

In India, the Clove is rightly cultivated as a cash crop in various parts of northern India, Himachal and North-eastern states.

Harvesting and Processing.

Clove plants show two varieties in their blooming season depending on the cultivation area. The blooming season lasts from September to October in those plants cultivated in the plains. Whereas in the mountains, the flowering season is from December to January.

The buds are harvested before they turn colour off before they bloom. They are less than 2 cm long at this point. The blossoms that have opened are not prized as spices.

After being manually removed from their clusters, the plucked flower buds are spread out to dry in the dryer yard. When the bud's stem gets a shade of dark brown, with the rest having a shadow of light brown, it is the optimal stage that shows perfect drying.

Culinary Uses of Cloves.

Clove is an excellent spice that can be used in savoury and sweet, decadent recipes. It is the main ingredient in world-famous spice mixtures like the pumpkin pie spice and our garam masala. To stews, curries, and marinades, cloves bring richness and depth. They additionally serve flavour drinks like masala chai (spice tea) and mulled wine.

Flavor Profile and Aromatic Qualities.

On consuming alone, the flavour profile of Clove is quite revolting. It has a sweet, pungent flavour with a bit of bitterness on the shallow end, with a strong penetrating effect that often leaves a numbing sensation in the mouth.

The aroma of clove is also unique. It has a sweet, calming, woody feel with a cooling, phenolic feel in the air. According to the herb with which it is combined, the aroma the Clove imparts also varies.

Common Culinary Applications.

Use of cloves is found in various blends of culinary spice mixes, like the traditional pumpkin spice, garam masala, and meat masala.

Commonly, clove is used in sweet dishes like cakes, pastries, pies, waffles, bread treats, warm drinks and confectioneries. It is also widely employed while cooking traditional meals like Biriyani, meat preparations, curries, stews, pot pies and many more.

Spices Blends and Seasoning.

Pumpkin spice blend is a spice blend containing clove. It is a combination of string earthy flavours such as nutmeg, clove, dry ginger and allspice. It has a warm, earthy flavour, usually preferred for pies, muffins, breads, and other warm drinks during spring.

Garam masala is another astonishing preparation for the use of cloves. It has cloves, star anise, cinnamon, coriander, red chillies and cumin. A more grounded, warm and mystic flavour, perfect for the Indian weather.

Baking and Desserts.

The dessert section is another spectrum of cuisine that will use the earthiness of clove. Several recipes include Clove: cakes, cookies, eclair base, biscuits, sweet pies, cheesecakes, and candy preparations.

Pickling.

Another standard preparation that includes the use of cloves, is pickles. While Clove can be used as an additive in traditional pickling methods to add a hint of flavour, certain English traditions pickle clove and cinnamon to get a sweeter spice version.

Asian Cuisine.

Clove is a beautiful addition to Asian cuisines. It is a part of famous ground spice blends such as Chinese five spice and Garam masala. It is used to add a hint of depth to all vegetarian and non-vegetarian preparations. While many herbs require toasting before their use to bring out their aroma, it is not needed with Clove, and thus, it is used as a single spice in certain curries and stews.

Tea brewed from love and cinnamon is another standard preparation in Asian countries.

Middle Eastern Cuisine.

Middle Eastern Cuisine usually uses a lot of spices to extenuate its depth and flavour. Clove is one of the seven essential spices used while cooking lamb stew.

European Cuisine.

Clove is an essential commodity that brings out the flavours of Christmas. It is commonly used as a rub in marinades and stew, while clove powder is most often used in preparing pies, baked goods, breads and others.

Medicinal Properties and Health Benefits.

Clove is a potential herb that has many ambient qualities that support healthy well-being. According to Ayurveda, Benefits of eating cloves include optimising the aggravated levels of Kapha and Vata doshas in the body. It is also a great source that helps to cool the body while igniting the digestive fire.

Nutritional Profile of Cloves.

Benefits of eating cloves are enormous, as Cloves provide many nutritional advantages since they are an excellent source of nutrients such as minerals, calcium, and magnesium, potassium. Cloves are rich in dietary fibre. Cloves have high levels of water-soluble vitamins like Vitamin C and K that help in proper blood clotting. Besides vitamins, cloves also have antioxidant phenolic compounds and flavonoids to help fight against oxidative stress effectively.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties.

The anti-inflammatory properties of clove are remarkable. Applying clove oil to the painful joint will help ease the discomfort. This will considerably lessen how bad the pain is.

Clove is also rich in prostaglandin, a chemical constituent that helps to relieve pain sensations.

Health Benefits.

• It helps to remove congestion, phlegm, and mucus
• Relieves cough, sore throat, asthma, sinusitis, and laryngitis and associated complaints
• Reduces fever, cold, flu, and nausea
• Relieves pain and inflammation and thus acts as a wonder herb in treating toothache, headache, migraines, back pain, and joint pain
• Increases the digestive fire without increasing Pitta dosha
• Boosts the metabolism, aids in healthy weight loss
• Removes toxins from the system
• Antimicrobial that has astonishing Anti-fungal, Anti-viral, and Antibacterial action
• Enriched with Powerful antioxidant properties and Protects the liver
• Clove is a galactagogue and promotes breast milk production
• Helps to Relieve nausea during pregnancy
• Increases the libido and is a potent herb that treats impotence and premature ejaculation
• Helps to Relieve menstrual cramping

Digestive Health.

Chewing on a clove encourages the body to release specific enzymes for digestion that aid in enhancing digestive processes. This herb is used to ease bloating, vomiting, dyspepsia, and gastric irritation.

Oral Health.

Clove is rich in Eugenol, a chemical constituent that has antibacterial action, much needed for oral health. It helps to prevent toothache, fight against probable cause for cavity formation and helps to remove halitosis of bad breath.

Respiratory Health.

Cloves are a fantastic remedy for respiratory problems. The scent of cloves might provide instant comfort to those with bronchitis and asthma. They can apply a few cloves to the heated discomfort and breathe in the odours to clear blocked airways.

Traditional and Alternative Medicine Uses.

In traditional Indian and Chinese systems, clove is a warming and stimulating agent.

A homoeopathic dilution of Eugenia caryophyllata CH is prepared for cloves. It is said to help with diabetes, toothaches, fever, early ejaculation, and other conditions.

Cloves in Aromatherapy and Essential oils.

Essential oil from cloves has been widely used in perfumery and oriental fragrances. Clove Essential Oil is used in aromatherapy, and for its warming, energising aroma, cloves are said to have aphrodisiac properties. The oil also helps calm the nerves, relieving stress and the build-up pressure, ‌helping to improve focus.

Extraction methods.

Clove bud essential oils are extracted by using the method of steam distillation. The aromatic essence of the buds is vaporised first and then cooled to facilitate easy collection. Though far more potent, clove bud essential oil has a scent similar to that of raw clove material. It is spicy, sweet and herbaceous.

Uses of Clove Essential Oil.

Clove essential oil has a long history of its traditional use. It is extensively used in many herbal formulations, especially in dental care routines, hygiene products, and commercial formulas of calming muscle rubs and soothing balms. Food-grade clove oil has gained popularity as a flavouring agent. Hence, it is used for many beverages and in plenty of culinary specialities, especially desserts, because of the popularity of cloves as a spice. Essential oils like that of Clove Bud are a wonderful complement to skin care products that purity and revitalise. Lotion or cream single-use portions can benefit from a drop of oil added to keep skin looking rejuvenated and fresh.

Cloves in cultural and Folklore

According to folklore, cloves have been used as a symbol to ward off harmful spirits, and ancient healers used cloves to remove evil spirits along with garlic. It was also popular for having the ability to paralyse a person or neutralise their abilities.

Cloves in the Traditional Medicine system.

Clove as a herb is essential in Siddha and Ayurvedic systems of medicine, which are both age-old traditional medical practices of India. Clove, more than a common household herb, is prized for its capacity to treat digestive system ailments. It has been a part of Chinese and Indian cuisine for over 2,000 years. Food is also often preserved with clove. Clove has a reputation for being a powerful aphrodisiac in Persia. One of the most costly and valuable commodities on the planet at the time was clove.

Kerala Ayurveda's formulations with Clove :

1. Tuss Nil Syrup: Ayurvedic Syrup for Dry Cough

   Tuss Nil Syrup

   

   Ayurvedic Syrup for Dry Cough

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   Tussnil is made using herbs like Vasa, Clove, Yashtimadhu and Shunti to treat cold and dry coughs. It relieves all symptoms of a sore throat and seasonal respiratory problems and helps heal allergy symptoms. Cloves in its formulation help restore health from intense dry cough.
2. Mathrukalpam : For Faster Post-Partum Recovery.

   Mathrukalpam

   

   For Faster Post-Partum Recovery

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   Mathrukalpam is a specially designed herbal formulation for new mothers for improved lactational support, thus saving the need to take separate lactation supplements. The recipe, which is high in antioxidants, aids in the body's detoxification, enabling the new mother to begin her new chapter of life with renewed vigour.
3. Manasamithra Vatakam : Tablets for Stress Relief and Restful Sleep.

   Manasamithra Vatakam

   

   Tablets for Stress Relief, Promotes Restful Sleep

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   Manasamithra Vatakam is an Ayurvedic remedy that can help you regain balance in your life through an improved sleep cycle, and by supporting your mental well-being. It is based on the ancient Ayurvedic text Arogyakalpadrumam that assists you in changing your attention from destructive obsessions to constructive and uplifting ideas thereby improving the mood and peace of mind.

Buying, Storing and Using Cloves.

There are two different types of cloves. Ground clove and Whole cloves. Cloves can be bought in both ground form or whole form, amongst which the whole cloves are way more aromatic and flavoursome than the ground ones although few culinary recipes demand ground cloves. And it's easily possible to grind Cloves to the usable form of clove powder at your home using an electronic or a coffee grinder. Using a mortar and pestle would be the least recommended.

Selecting and Buying Quality Cloves.

High-quality cloves will have the following characteristics. They will be large, and uniformly shaped cloves with a rich reddish-brown colour and a potent scent. There are the distinguishing features primarily for grade A cloves.

Proper storage Techniques.

Cloves in their consumable form as clove powders or ‌buds should be kept in a dark and cool place, preferably in an airtight container. When compared to the ground cloves, whole cloves will stay potent for approximately a year longer, while the ground cloves will only last for about three months.