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Made from this plant – available in our shop
Basic Information: Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, Syzygium aromaticum. They are native to the Maluku Islands (or Moluccas) in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice. Cloves are available throughout the year due to different harvest seasons in different countries. The clove tree is an evergreen that grows up to 8–12 m tall, with large leaves and crimson flowers grouped in terminal clusters. Cloves are used in the cuisine of Asian, African, and the Near and Middle East countries, lending flavor to meats, curries, and marinades, as well as fruit such as apples, pears or rhubarb. Cloves may be used to give aromatic and flavor qualities to hot beverages, often combined with other ingredients such as lemon and sugar. The spice is used in a type of cigarette called kretek in Indonesia.
Nutrition, Traditional Use and Research
The statements below describe nutrition facts, traditional use and published research. They are not health claims for our products.
- Cloves are one of the most important spices of Indonesia and have been used in cooking and in traditional practice for centuries.
- In cooking, cloves add a strong, warm aroma. In folk practice, spices such as cloves are traditionally used in meals to support digestion; scientific evidence for this is limited.
- Eugenol, the main aroma compound of clove, has been examined in laboratory studies for antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Extracts of clove have also been tested against a number of microorganisms in the laboratory. These are laboratory findings and do not show an effect in people.
- Clove oil, which contains eugenol, is traditionally used in some regions as a home remedy for toothache, and eugenol is also used in some dental materials. Clove oil is very potent and should never be used undiluted; please see a dentist for any dental problem.
- Clove tea is traditionally drunk in some regions for relaxation. Scientific evidence for such effects is limited.
- Clove extracts contain phenolic compounds such as flavonoids. Laboratory and animal studies have looked at these in relation to bone health; the results are preliminary.
- Cloves are a source of manganese, which contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and to normal energy-yielding metabolism. Please keep clove oil away from children.
Fun Facts:
- The name comes from the French “clou” meaning nail.
- Archeologists have found cloves in a ceramic vessel in Syria, with evidence that dates the find to within a few years of 1721 BC.
- As early as 200 BC, envoys from Java to the Han-dynasty court of China brought cloves that were customarily held in the mouth to perfume the breath during audiences with the emperor.
- Cloves were traded by Muslim sailors and merchants during the Middle Ages in the profitable Indian Ocean trade, the clove trade is also mentioned by famous Arabian Nights characters such as Sinbad the Sailor are known to have bought and sold cloves from India.
- In Britain in the 17th and 18th centuries, cloves were worth at least their weight in gold, due to the high price of importing them.
Sources :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clove
https://www.naturalfoodseries.com/17-benefits-cloves/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-cloves
http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-clove/