Most of us are familiar with cloves as fragrant spicy seasoning. However, few people know about the medicinal properties of the spice, which is the dried unopened buds of the clove tree, resembling in shape small carnations with caps.
It turns out that medicine in many countries has long ago adopted the use of cloves for medicinal purposes. So, in the US and Europe, it is recommended for use by people with digestive problems.
In India, patients are prescribed to relieve spastic pain. Clove oil has been used in dentistry, surgery and gynecology. Spice is also used in cooking and cosmetology.
Did you know? On the basis of cloves produced about 60 drugs.As you can see, cloves are popular in the world due to their healing effects, and such a variety of useful properties of this plant is due to its rich chemical composition.
Chemical composition and nutritional value of cloves
In its chemical composition, cloves among spices have no equal. It contains:
- essential oil (20%);
- mineral substances: sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, copper, selenium;
- vitamins A, B1, B2, PP, C;
- tannins;
- glycosides;
- oleanolic acid;
- caryophylne;
- other substances.
Useful properties of cloves for humans
The spectrum of the beneficial effects of cloves on the human body is very wide. It has analgesic, antiseptic, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, wound healing, antiviral, sweating and diuretic effect. Its anthelmintic and antifungal effects are also known.
Cloves are used to prevent influenza and other viral diseases. Spices are afraid of golden and white staphylococcus.
The complex of vitamins B, which is a part of the buds of the clove tree, relieves stress, tension, improves memory, stimulates the brain.
From the cloves make decoctions for the treatment of eye diseases, in particular to get rid of barley. Adding it to food improves appetite, normalizes food digestion, improves acidity, and eliminates gas formation.
Also, this spicy plant is recommended to take with colpitis, diarrhea, intestinal colic, nausea. It has a positive effect on arthritis and arthrosis.
Beneficial spice affects the normalization of blood pressure.
In traditional medicine, clove oil is part of healing and anti-inflammatory ointments and balms. Clove-based preparations are used for sprains and dislocations in athletes.
Cloves are used in research for the invention of cancer drugs, which confirm that it can inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
The medicinal properties of food cloves have been used in dentistry and gynecology.
Clove applications
In one article it is hardly possible to consider the peculiarities of using cloves in various fields. Let's stop only on some of them, where the spice is used most often.
The use of cloves in dentistry
Cloves are used to solve a number of dental problems. Its anti-inflammatory effect has been proven in case of periodontal disease, pulpitis, caries, and oral cavity diseases (stomatitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis).
To relieve toothache, it is advised to apply decoction of food clovesknown for its healing properties. To do this, five buds boil in one glass of any vegetable oil (olive, sesame, sea buckthorn). The broth is allowed to infuse and cool. Apply tampons with three drops of broth to a sick tooth.
Also, to get rid of the pain, you can rub the clove powder into the gums, drip the clove oil on the aching tooth, or simply chew whole buds.
Important! If you follow this advice, you should be aware that the use of folk remedies will only lead to short-term anesthesia, but not to a solution to the problem. For the treatment of a diseased tooth, it is imperative that you consult a specialist.Decoctions and tinctures of cloves and inflammations of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat are used. So, recommend rinsing with cloves with aphthous stomatitis.
Spice has anti-inflammatory effect and promotes the speedy healing of ulcers. For sore throat and tonsillitis, it is advisable to chew the clove. In case of sore throat, rinsing with warm water, sea salt and clove powder is well recommended.
In addition, dry clove inflorescences can be used instead of chewing gum harmful to the digestive tract - it remarkably eliminates unpleasant smell from the mouth and supports normal mucous microflora after eating.
Did you know? Spice added in the manufacture of chewing gum in Thailand and India.
The use of cloves for headaches
To get rid of a headache there are several recipes:
- Prepare a paste of 5 g ground cloves, cinnamon, almond and water. Apply the mixture to the temples.
- Apply to the whiskey a pasty mixture of camphor oil and ground cloves (5 g).
- This mixture is made from cloves, salt and milk.
- Massage the forehead and temples with a mixture of essential oils of clove (1 drop), chamomile (1 drop), lavender (3 drops), almond (1 tsp).
For the treatment of frequent headaches use alcohol tincture: 5 teaspoons of ground cloves are added to 100 g of vodka, heated and drunk half a tablespoon.
How to take a clove
We have already talked about several ways how to take cloves for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes - to prepare tinctures, decoctions, mixtures, drops, oil based on cloves.
You can also brew clove tea. Every morning its use can enrich the human body with missing vitamins, elevate mood, increase vitality, strengthen the immune system.
It can also help with diarrhea, bloating and nausea. Teas can be prepared from one clove or with the addition of other ingredients: cinnamon, ginger, orange, etc.
Important! Do not add to the tea more than one or two inflorescences per cup, otherwise the drink can be bitter.With frequent colds before meals, you can take a mixture of pinch ground cloves, black pepper and a teaspoon of honey, its medicinal properties will help to survive the autumn-winter period without ARVI.
Also, antiviral effects have Clove essential oil inhalation. They help in the treatment of colds, cough and nasal congestion. To do this, add a few drops of hot water and breathe these vapors.
Clove oil is also used in aromatherapy to calm the nervous system during stress and depression. Also oil (2 drops) can be added to the bath when bathing.
But to strengthen the heart is advised to drink mulled wine. Moreover, with the purpose of treatment mulled wine is better not to cook, and insist a few weeks. To do this, in 0.5 liters of red wine add five flowers of carnation. It is necessary to insist in a dark place for three weeks.
Add one teaspoon to tea up to three times a day. Also, mulled wine can be prepared in the following way: 0.3 liters of red wine put sliced orange and half a lemon, 5 cloves, cinnamon, bring to a boil, cool and drain. Drink one tablespoon.
To get rid of cough, you can use before bedtime a mixture of five drops of essential clove oil, one clove of garlic and honey. For pain in the ears, three drops of cooked clove oil are instilled into each auricle.
The carnation in the treatment of arthritis and arthrosis has proven itself well. It is added to the massage oil (4-5 drops / 10 ml), used to make a healing mixture.
Tampons soaked with clove decoction are used to heal wounds and acute conjunctivitis.
Clove is one of the components of the antiparasitic dietary supplement.
Clove and Gynecology
This spicy plant has a positive effect on women's health. Even in antiquity it was used to stimulate labor, with postpartum hemorrhage and as an abortive means.
Essential oil of cloves can improve the tone of the uterus, normalize the menstrual cycle and hormones. Also, carnation is a good aphrodisiac that enhances sexual attraction and prolongs sexual pleasure.
How to use cloves cosmetologists
Cosmetology uses clove essential oil. Its main component, eugenol, is included in creams, ointments, and balms. Used in perfumery.
Clove oil effectively acts on oily and acne-prone skin. It has an antiseptic effect, reduces inflammation and dries the skin. To solve skin problems, it is recommended to prepare mixtures based on creams.
So, on the face with oily skin cause mixed cream or oil base (10 ml), 2 drops of essential clove oil and 2 drops of lemon juice.
For acne, a mask is used. from cream or oil (10 ml), 1 drop of clove oil, 2 drops of geranium oil and 1 drop of chamomile oil.
To narrow pores mixed one egg white, 1 drop of clove oil, 1 drop of geranium oil, 1 drop of sage oil.
With rashes, you can fight 15-minute masks from the composition: wheat germ oil (10 ml), clove oil (2 drops), lavender oil (3 drops).
Also, the essential oil of cloves helps to strengthen hair growth and nutrition of the hair follicles. For weakened, prone to hair loss, masks with the addition of clove oil are recommended.
One of the simplest options for a hair growth stimulating mask is in 30 ml of any vegetable oil add 5 drops of clove oil. Rub into the hair roots and scalp. Leave for 40 minutes.
It is important to know that clove oil has a very strong effect and, undiluted, can cause burns and skin irritation, so there are contraindications to its use, in particular, it is prohibited to children and adolescents under 15 years of age.
Clove and Cooking
To give a unique taste and aroma in cooking carnation is widely used:
- when cooking roasted and stewed meat, minced meat;
- in bakery and pastry baking;
- when cooking broths and first courses;
- in fish and sausage production;
- for cooking compotes, mulled wine, punch;
- as an additive to marinades (meat, fish, vegetables, mushrooms, berries);
- in the composition of sauces, mayonnaise.
It is important not to overdo it with the addition of spice, since an excessive amount of it in a dish can clog the taste of main products and give a very strong specific flavor.
It is recommended to add to broth 1-2 cloves per 1 liter of liquid. When cooking meat - up to two buds. In the dough lay 4-5 studs per 1 kg. In marinade throw 3-4 g cloves per 10 liters.
Ground cloves, along with other spices, are part of the popular masala spice.
Did you know? To determine the quality of a carnation, it must be thrown into a container with water. A good, useful spice should go to the bottom or float upright with the cap up. If the spice does not sink, but floats on the surface, it means that the heavy essential oil has disappeared from it and there are no useful properties in it.Also, the quality of the carnation is found out by putting it between two pieces of paper and rolling it a couple of times with a rolling pin. If at the same time on the paper will remain oily stains, then the spice is good.
Contraindications to the use of cloves
Despite the fact that the clove is endowed with a number of medicinal properties, there are also contraindications to its use. It should not be consumed by children under two years of age, pregnant women, nursing mothers.
It is undesirable to take this spice with gastritis with high acidity and ulcerative diseases. It should be reduced to people with increased mental stress.
Since this spice can both tone up and relieve spasm, it can relax the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract and raise blood pressure, cloves cannot be used for hypertension, there are contraindications for people in a state of nervous excitement.
And note that if all of the above means do not help you, then for further treatment you will need the advice of a competent specialist.
