Cloves are a perfect spice for the season, with a fragrance and flavor that warms and comforts while also offering health benefits!

Syzygium aromaticum is a dried flower bud from an evergreen indigenous to Indonesia, but has also been cultivated in South America. It is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, with antibacterial and antifungal properties.

Nutritive - One teaspoon ground cloves contains 30% of your RDI of manganese (important to bone health), 4% RDI of Vitamin K, and 3% RDI of Vitamin C, with trace amounts of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin E.
Blood Sugar Balance - there is some preliminary evidence to suggest clove extract reduces blood glucose levels, and may help maintain healthy blood sugar.
Topical Analgesic - Clove oil is popularly used for dental pain. It produces a numbing sensation comparable to benzocaine. In Germany, clove is approved for use as a topical antiseptic and anesthetic.
Natural Preservative - Clove has potential as an alternative to chemical preservatives in the food industry, particularly in meat processing, due to the antibacterial activity of its phenolic compounds. Clove has shown bactericidal activity against food-borne pathogens (E.Coli, Staph, Bacillus cereus).

CAUTIONS: It is generally not advisable to ingest clove in large amounts. It is not recommended for use in children. There is not enough evidence on its effects during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, so best to avoid it during this time. Eugenol, one of cloves’ primary phenolic compounds, slows blood clotting, and should be avoided by those on blood thinners. Clove may reduce blood sugar, and should be avoided by hypoglycemics.