8 Health Benefits of Clove You Should Know
The ingredients in our kitchen are a powerhouse of health. At times, we are not aware of the health benefits wrapped in these ingredients. But the fact is that several kitchen ingredients that we use daily have diverse health benefits. Here, we discuss about cloves.
What are cloves?
Clove is a spice that has found a prominent place as a taste enhancer in Asian dishes. Recently, the spice is used in several other cuisines also worldwide. One of the major reasons for the development is the many health benefits attached with it. As more and more people are turning to using ingredients that are rich source of health benefits; clove has found an important position in the ingredient list of people. The spice is exceptionally useful to boost health and aid the process of digestion, blood sugar/glucose regulation, and more. Furthermore, you will be surprised to know that clove is one of the natural pain killing agents of tooth ache.
However, let us discuss 8 health benefits of clove:
Cloves improve digestion
Apart from adding flavour to your meal, the spice has the power to improve your gut performance. The digestive enzymes are stimulated that aids in digestion. Accumulation of vacuum or gas in the gastrointestinal tract leads to discomfort and bloating. Clove helps to get rid of such a feeling. Hence, it can be used as a remedy for gastric disorder by consuming a pinch of clove powder with honey.
Direct inhalation of clove oil is beneficial to manage nausea and vomiting. The irritated intestinal lining due to gas may lead to stomach ache or diarrhoea.
Skin-related problems
Cloves are anti-bacterial and thus have the healing power to clear acne blemishes. Clove oil can be mixed with coconut oil in the ratio 1:10 respectively for external application on the affected area to yield desired results. Moreover, the presence of anti-oxidants in cloves can restore youth in skin. Hence, clove powder is used in several face scrubs and packs that are made at home. It checks occurrence of premature wrinkles on skin.
Promotes bone health
Clove is often seen as a pain-killing agent but it also has the power to enhance bone health in the human body. Osteoporosis is a common condition that demerits bone health and causes stiffness in joint. Clove oil can be mixed with coconut/olive/sesame oil for massaging the joints to relieve stiffness and enhance mobility without pain.
Headaches
Another great use of clove is its power to tackle headaches. Headache can cause discomfort and migraine can easily disturb the daily routine of the person. So, mixing clove oil with coconut oil for massaging on forehead and temples can relieve headache to a great extent. Even inhaling the clove’s smell provides comfort against headache. Also, the users can place a few drops of clove oil on a warm cloth and then apply it on the area that is painful. It will facilitate pain management.
Protection against cancer
Compounds present in clove helps fight cancer. It helps in controlling the growth of cancer cells in the body. The presence of eugenol in clove is responsible for the impact. Test tube studies support such findings and the results are encouraging. It has anticarcinogenic property present in cloves aids in controlling lung cancer in its initial stage.
Treats toothache and oral diseases
You will find that most of the toothpaste contain clove as one of the its main ingredient. It has biochemicals that are laced with pain-killing property in cloves. Hence, it provides relief against toothache. Moreover, the ingredient has also found mention in ancient Ayurveda for prevention of gum disease.
Treats respiratory functions
Add clove in your diet to get rid of respiratory congestion. It works as an expectorant aiding breakdown and loosening of mucus in the throat to find its way out through cough. It has antimicrobial property that can help in killing the pathogens responsible for cause of throat infections and common cold.
Beats stress
Now, this is one of the magical health benefits of clove because we live in a world of cut-throat competition that can cause stress at work. Complex personal relationships also lead to stress. Inhaling clove oil with lavender oil at night can aid in relieving stress.
Final thoughts
Clove is one of the most commonly found spices and if it is laced with so many health benefits including teeth health, then why not include it in our daily diet to lead a healthy lifestyle. You don’t worry to book an appointment with the dentist nearby on your location.