Health Benefits of Cloves (Laung)

About Cloves/Laung

Cloves are really aromatic and beautiful flower like buds belongs to the Myrtaceae family and commonly used for the spice and medicinal purposes. It was first originated in the Maluku Islands of Indonesia however it has been started harvesting commercially in many countries like India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Madagascar, Zanzibar, Sri Lanka, Pemba Island, coast of Tanzania and etc. Because of its multidirectional benefits it is used for many purposes in various countries all over the world.

Benefits of Cloves (Laung)

Cloves are very famous spice in India has been used for years in the Indian cuisines and ayurvedic medicines. It is used as a painkiller for teeth and carminative (to increase level of digestive juice in stomach and stimulate peristalsis movement). It is a natural anthelmintic thus used for treating digestive disorders. I have mentioned below some of the amazing and useful beneficial aspects of the clove or laung:

Benefits of Cloves for Teeth

Relieves Tooth Pain

• It is very effective home remedy for treating toothache on temporary basis. It provides instant relief from the tooth pain if the clove or dipped cotton ball of clove oil is placed to the painful tooth, sore tooth or inflamed gums.

Cures Bad Odour

• Keeping laung in mouth helps in curing bad odour problem.

Benefits of Clove for Digestive System

Relaxes Gastro-Intestinal Tract

• It helps in relaxing gastro intestinal tract smooth linings and provides relief from various disorders such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, bloating, intestinal gas, indigestion, constipation stomach pain and etc.

Prevents from Acidity

• It acts as a life saver to the person suffering from acidity by providing safety coat of mucous to the stomach and throat which reduces the effects of acidity. Chewing some cloves just after taking meal (avoid any other things after taking clove).

Stimulates Salivary Gland Secretion

• Clove actively involves in improving the digestion process by stimulating the salivary glands to release more saliva.

Benefits of Clove for Diabetes

Keeps Diabetes under Control

• It helps in lowering down the blood sugar level thus keeps diabetes and its symptoms under control as it acts as natural insulin in the body and does not let blood glucose level to rise.

Benefits of Cloves on Skin

Improves Skin Health

• It provides skin clear, blemishes free, smooth, glowing, pimples free look because of its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties if it taken regularly.

Reduces Skin Problems

• Applying the mixture of clove powder, one tsf honey and lemon juice to the face at least for 20 mins and then wash with cold water helps in get rid of all skin problems.

Removes Acne

• It helps in removing acne from the skin if it is applied as a face pack to the face or massaged as a cream as it contains antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.

Treats Skin Ailments

• It also helps in treating other skin ailments like whiteheads, blackheads, scars, pimples, scaly skin, marks, patches, blemishes and etc.

Delays Ageing

• Its antioxidant nature keeps skin healthy and acne free as well as removes ageing related wrinkles from the face.

Prevents from Skin Infection

• It has antiseptic property thus prevents from the infections by stimulating early healing of wound, abrasions, cuts, scabies, fungal infections, athlete’s foot, insect bites, stings, bruises and etc.

Benefits of Cloves for Hair

Promotes Hair Growth

• It enhances the hair growth, thickening and shining by preventing hair loss and hair fall.

Good hair Conditioner

• It acts as a good hair conditioner if the mixture of two tsf cloves powder and 1/2 cup olive oil (warmed and cooled at room temperature) is applied to the scalp before taking shower.

Benefits of Clove for Men

Improves Body Stamina

• It is a natural aphrodisiac and enhances sexual health by improving performance and energizing the body.

Treats Premature Ejaculation

• It helps in treating premature ejaculation among men.

Eliminates Weakness and Fatigue

• It is an aromatic spice provides natural fragrance helps in eliminating weakness and fatigue from the body and keeps body energetic.

Benefits of Clove Powder

Regulates Blood Sugar Level

• Taking one small tsf clove powder with warm water in the early morning with empty stomach on regular basis keeps blood sugar level under control.

Regulates Blood Cholesterol Level

• Taking a teaspoon of clove powder regularly also helps in regulating blood cholesterol levels.

Relieves Fever

• Taking some clove powder with hot water trice a day provides relieve from the fever.

Cures Cough problem

• Taking some roasted clove powder with honey cures cough problem.

Benefits of Cloves Tea

Treat Respiratory Tract Disorders

• It has been used for years to treat common upper respiratory tract disorders like cold, cough, flu and etc.

Eases Phlegm

• Drinking clove tea acts as an expectorant which eases the phlegm to cough up and its natural analgesic property reduces pain by removing germs causing sore throat.

Relieves Flatulence

• Taking cloves tea regularly helps in overcoming with the problem of flatulence.

Relieves Stress

• It helps in relieving stress from all over the body if tea is taken made by adding cloves, mint, basil, and cardamom into water.

Benefits of Clove Oil

Relieves Pain and Inflammation

• Clove oil massage to the sore muscles provides relief from the pain and inflammation in some cases like arthritis and rheumatism.

Relieves Body Pain

• It provides relief from the body pain if body is soaked in the warm water adding few drops of clove oil or some crushed cloves tied in soft cotton cloth.

Relieves Ear Pain

• Putting a drop of mixture of clove oil and sesame oil in equal proportions provides relief from the ear pain.

Benefits of Clove Water

Relieves Typhoid Symptoms

• Drinking clove water provides relieve from the symptoms of typhoid if it is taken regularly during illness. Clove water can be prepared by boiling water properly with some cloves.

Cures Heart Burn and Acidity

• Drinking laung water (make paste of some laung with cold water) with misri helps in curing heart burn and acidity.

Other Health Benefits of Clove

Used to Manufacture many Products

• It is used to manufacture variety of cosmetic and beauty products of daily use such as bath soap, toothpaste, creams, perfumes, cigarettes.

Removes Effects of Tobacco Smoke

• It contains a chemical compound called Eugenol which acts as menthol and reduces the bad effects of tobacco smoke.

Maintains Electrolyte Balance

• It contains good amount of potassium mineral which helps in maintaining the electrolyte balance of body cells thus controls heart rate and blood pressure.

Reduces Risk of Lung and Oral Cavity Cancer

• It contains high level of beta carotene and vitamin A which has antioxidant properties thus prevents from various problems like lung and oral cavity cancers.

Enhances Body Resistance Power

• It is also good source of vitamin C which enhances the body resistance power against various infectious agents and scavenges including free radicals.

Reduces Toxic Effects of Environmental Pollutants

• Eugenol compound found in it reduces the toxic effects of environmental pollutants such as carbon tetrachloride causing digestive tract cancers, joint inflammations and etc.

Fights Bad Breath

• It also helps in fighting with bad breath by cleaning the tongue, palate and throat as well as killing the harmful bacteria.

Relaxes Mind and Muscles

• It has mind and muscle relaxing effect and helps to fight with stress.

Relieves Morning Sickness

• It provides instant relief effectively from the morning sickness if the mixture of cloves, tamarind and palm sugar is taken with water two times a day.

Insects Repellent

• It is a best mosquito and ant repellent.

Relieves Symptoms of Food Poisoning

• Clove bud oil helps in providing relief from the food poisoning.

Nutritional Benefits of Cloves/Laung per 100 g

(Source: USDA Nutrient Database)

Energy: 47 Kcal

Carbohydrate: 10.51 g

Protein: 3.27 g

Total Fat: 0.15 g

Saturated Fat: 5.2 g

Monounsaturated Fat: 1.2 g

Polyunsaturated Fat: 7.1 g

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: 4.1 g

Omega-6 Fatty Acids: 2.2 g

Dietary Fibers: 5.4 g

Water: 7.1 g

Ash: 6.1 g

Phytosterols: 260 mg

Sugar: 2.2 g

Vitamins

Folates: 68 µg

Niacin: 1.046 mg

Pantothenic acid: 0.338 mg

Pyridoxine: 0.116 mg

Riboflavin: 0.066 mg

Thiamine: 0.072 mg

Vitamin A: 13 IU

Vitamin C: 11.7 mg

Vitamin E: 0.19 mg

Vitamin K: 14.8 µg

Choline: 38.6 mg

Betaine: 1.1 mg

Electrolytes

Sodium: 94 mg

Potassium: 370 mg

Minerals

Calcium: 44 mg

Copper: 0.231 mg

Iron: 1.28 mg

Magnesium: 60 mg

Manganese: 0.256 mg

Phosphorus: 90 mg

Selenium: 7.2 µg

Zinc: 2.32 mg

Phyto-nutrients

Beta-Carotene: 8 µg

Lutein-zeaxanthin: 464 µg

How to Select and Store

Cloves are easily available in the market all through the year. Always select organically grown clove buds having fresh and sweet fragrance on getting squeezed with fingers. Buying whole cloves are much better than the powder clove powder may be adulterated with spicy powders or lose its natural flavor. It can be stored for months if placed properly in the air tight plastic or glass container in the dry, cool and dark place. Cloves which are floating on the water surface are in good condition.

How to Enjoy

It can be enjoyed in many ways and forms such as whole bud, clove water, clove oil, clove tea, clove bath, fried rice, added in curries, cooked vegetable and etc for many purposes according to the need and requirement. It can be added to the recipes of fish, chicken, meat, soup, sauce and etc with other spices like black pepper, ginger and etc.

Precautions, Side Effects and Disadvantages

Some of the precautions, side effects and disadvantages of cloves are mentioned below:

• Using clove oil for the children should be avoided as it may cause some serious health problems including liver damage, seizures, and fluid imbalances.
• Applying clove oil directly to the gums may cause damage to the mucous membrane of gums, tooth pulp and etc.
• Using clove cigarettes for smoking purpose should be avoided as it is unsafe and many lead to the breathing and lungs problems.
• Sometimes taking dried cloves develop sensitivity and cause irritation to the dental tissues.
• Taking heavy dose should be avoided by the pregnant and breast-feeding women.
• Clove oil has eugenol which has property to slow down the blood clotting thus it should be avoided by the person with bleeding disorders or taking anticoagulant medications.
• Using higher dose in the recipes should be avoided as it causes gastrointestinal irritation and disorders of central nervous system.
• It should be avoided by the person suffering from stomach ulcer, intestinal discomfort, diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis and etc.
• It should also be avoided by the person having allergy problem as it may lead to the difficulty in breathing, throat and lips swelling and so many.

How Many Cloves/Laung to Eat a Day

As it is a strong flavored spice and only less amount is enough to fulfill the taste or medicinal requirements. Whether it is used as a spice in recipes or medicinal or beauty purposes, it requires only small amount to get the result. Its overuse may lead to some serious heath disorders and disabilities thus it is good to consult doctor before applying any remedy.