Cloves: Excellent for cooking and health

Small, but with incredible powers, both for cooking and for human health… This is the Indian clove, also known only as clove, gyrofler or Indian carnation.

For many years it has been used as a condiment in sweet and savory foods, making a real difference in terms of flavor.

Who, for example, has ever eaten a good pumpkin jam with a little cloves?! Or have you tried a hot chocolate with cloves and cinnamon? But these are just examples, as there are a multitude of dishes in which he is one of the ingredients.

What few people know, however, is that its advantages go beyond taste. Talitta Maciel, nutritionist at Espaço Reeducação Alimentar, highlights that the Indian clove is a spice, whose flower is widely used for the benefits it can offer to health and in cooking in general. “It has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, analgesic and healing properties, and is widely used in Asian food,” she says.

Indian clove benefits

Talitta talks about the benefits that cloves can offer:

• Clove tea helps relieve headaches;
• To reduce fever;
• Getting better from sore throats;
• In the treatment of candidiasis;
• And relieve toothaches;
• Indian cloves help speed up metabolism;
• To improve digestion;
• It acts in the burning of fats;
• Helps to improve nausea;
• It has antioxidant properties;
• Helps in the functioning of the thyroid;
• In the control of bad cholesterol;
• It is a potent antifungal;
• And it helps fight bacteria present in the mouth, preventing bad breath.

Can cloves help you lose weight?

The nutritionist explains that cloves have been used in weight reduction diets, as they have properties that help speed up metabolism. “It causes the body to produce more saliva and improves food digestion, as well as releasing hydrogen, reducing lipid peroxidation, helping to burn fat, as well as helping to reduce bad cholesterol,” she says.

According to Talitta, it is possible to use it as a way to combat compulsion, when giving that “attack” to sweets. “If you have it within reach, you can suck and breathe… It helps to lessen these episodes,” she explains.

How to use cloves

Talitta explains that the parts used in cloves are the flower buds, found dried, and their essential oil. “You can also find it in the form of powder and tincture,” he says.

Essential oils can be used in different ways, such as massage oil, inhalations, compresses, to aromatize the environment, etc. And the main functions of clove oil are:

• Expectorant;
• Stimulant;
• Antiseptic;
• Analgesic;
• Digestive;
• Aphrodisiac.

Clove powder is often used to give a “finishing touch” to a dish. It can be used in cakes, pies, sweets and is easily found on the market.

With the dried flowers of the carnation it is possible, for example, to make tea. Talitta explains that it is enough to boil the water, remove from the heat and add 1g to 1.5g (2 to 4 pieces) of cloves to each cup of water, leave to infuse for about 10 minutes and drink. “You should consume 2 cups a day”, says the nutritionist.

Check out in the gallery some products made with Indian cloves:

Are there contraindications?

Talitta explains that pregnant women cannot consume it, as cloves can cause uterine contractions.

The nutritionist highlights that, in all cases, excessive consumption of cloves should be avoided. “And any associated changes, you should discontinue use,” she says.

Finally, Talitta points out that Indian cloves should preferably be consumed under professional guidance, so that they can actually offer health benefits.

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. They do not replace the advice and follow-up of doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, physical education professionals and other specialists.