10 Surprising Health Benefits And Uses of Cloves: Side Effects & Warnings

Nutrition

As a spice, clove confers significant nutritional benefits. According to nutrition data, one teaspoon of ground cloves contains 30% of the RDI of the mineral manganese, 4% of the RDI of vitamin K, 3% of the RDI of vitamin C, and trace amounts of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin E. It is also a good source of fiber.

Vitamin C and eugenol are both antioxidants that can help slow the development of chronic disease. Manganese is important to bone health.

Toothache and Dental Pain

Many of the health benefits of clove oil are thought to result from its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects.

Clove oil is perhaps best known as a remedy for toothache and dental pain. In a 2006 study of 73 adults, for instance, researchers found that clove-based gel was comparable to benzocaine (a local anesthetic) in its ability to ease pain resulting from injections in the mouth.1

In Germany, a governmental regulatory agency known as Commission E has recommended clove for use in treating mouth and gum inflammatioin and as a topical anesthetic in dentistry.3

Diabetes

There is some evidence that clove may benefit people with diabetes or prediabetes. This is based on research that suggests that clove may help reduce blood sugar (glucose) before and after eating food.

According to the 2019 pilot study, significant reductions were found in the glucose levels of healthy volunteers who ingested a polyphenolic clove extract, building off of promising results in preclinical studies regarding the effect of clove on helping to regulate blood sugar.4

Further research is needed to determine whether the same effect can be achieved in people with diabetes.

Acne

Although tea tree oil (an essential oil used in aromatherapy) is better known as a natural spot treatment for acne, clove oil is sometimes also used for pimples.

According to a 2017 in vivo study, ethanolic clove extract containing eugenol suppressed activity of the bacterium P. acnes and reduced a related inflammatory response in a mouse model.

As P. acnes is associated with acne, this supports the conducting of further research into whether clove oil can be an effective treatment for breakouts.5

Food Poisoning Prevention

According to a 2018 review, clove oil, and specifically the constituent eugenol, shows advantages over potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, and other chemical food preservatives in terms of antimicrobial activity, safety, and aroma, making it worthy of consideration as a substitute food preservative.6

Clove oil has been found to have an antibacterial effect on common food source Gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, E.coli, as well as Gram-positive bacteria such as Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus.

In lab tests published in 2009, scientists found that clove bud oil (as well as essential oils of cinnamon and allspice) also helped suppress the growth of listeria, another common bacteria known to cause food-borne illness, indicating clove oil may be helpful in protecting against food poisoning.7

Possible Side Effects

While generally recognized as safe for topical use, clove oil has been found to impact the diversity of the intestinal microbiota when ingested due to the sensitivity of even some helpful bacteria in the gut biome to eugenol, as shown in a 2012 study.8

It is generally recommended not to ingest clove oil in large amounts. If swallowed, cloves may cause a burning sensation. Applying clove oil to the skin or gums, or using it as a mouthwash, is recommended instead. Clogard Clove Mouthwash is one commercial rinse preparation that is available.

Pay special attention to prevent infants and children from swallowing clove oil. In 1992 there was a case report detailing a child who ingested clove oil and experienced disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and hepatocellular necrosis.9 Another case report from 1991 describes central nervous system depression in an infant who swallowed clove oil.

While a direct link between clove oil use and these issues is not certain, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Due to insufficient research regarding the effects on pregnancy and breastfeeding, it is best to avoid clove products during these periods.10

Contraindications

Eugenol slows blood clotting and can lead to an increased risk of bleeding. It should be avoided by people with bleeding disorders, those scheduled for surgery, and people on anticoagulant medications.

Cloves have been shown to lead to lowered blood sugar levels and should be avoided by people who are hypoglycemic.

Selection, Preparation & Storage

Clove oil is available at most health food stores and supermarkets. When preparing clove oil remedies for younger children, cutting the clove oil with a carrier oil such as almond oil or olive oil helps mitigate any irritating effects.

According to the review on cloves in the Commission E Monographs, detailing the German authority’s approved preparations of clove oil, 1% to 5% essential oil solutions are recommended for mouthwashes, and undiluted oil is recommended for official dental use.11

According to a 2011 study, clove buds that had been cleaned, ground to a fine powder, and stored in air-tight containers at room temperature indicated significant anti-microbial activity after being added to a meat emulsion at the level of 0.1%.12

Common Questions

Can I grow my own clove spice?
Growing cloves requires a hot and humid climate. This evergreen tree would do the best in USDA Zones 9b through 12, though clove trees can be grown in pots and taken indoors in temperate zones during the winter. Clove trees prefer partial shade and can be propagated from either seeds or cuttings; it takes 15 to 20 years for them to reach their full flowering potential, however.

Are clove cigarettes safe?
Clove cigarettes, also known as kreteks, are popular in Indonesia and distributed worldwide. They typically contain 60% to 80% tobacco and 20% to 40% ground clove buds and clove oil, along with some other spices. The numbing action of the eugenol in clove cigarettes allows for longer and deeper inhaling. This may make the act of smoking tobacco less harsh in the moment, but it does nothing to prevent the risks associated with inhaling nicotine, carbon monoxide, and tar.

Cloves are the flower buds of the clove tree, an evergreen also known as Syzygium aromaticum (1Trusted Source).

Found in both whole and ground forms, this versatile spice can be used to season pot roasts, add flavor to hot beverages, and bring spicy warmth to cookies and cakes.

You may know cloves as one of the main ingredients in gingerbread baked goods or a staple spice in Indian cuisine.

Cloves are best known as a sweet and aromatic spice, but they have also been used in traditional medicine.

In fact, animal studies have found that the compounds in cloves may have several health benefits, including supporting liver health and helping stabilize blood sugar levels (2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).

This article reviews 8 of the most impressive health benefits of eating cloves.