Cloves are by far the most prominent of the spices known as “flower spices.” The flavour of the clove is rich, sweet and sultry. Whole cloves are used extensively in cooking worldwide including Indian food like pilau rice, Biriyani and curries as well as with meat stews, desserts, fruit dishes, and beverages.

Mother Nature’s Bountiful Gift: Organic Cloves

A Clove is the calyx and petals of the flower bud of Syzygium aromaticum, a tree in the family Myrtaceae. This evergreen tree produces aromatic flower buds all year long. Originating from the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, they are now an essential part of many different cuisines.

Cloves-they Spiced Up History.

• Historically, this aromatic spice served as a flavoring in Syria before 1721 BC, based on evidence found in archeological excavations. During the 3rd century AD, a leader of the Han dynasty insisted his subjects chew cloves before opening their mouths.
• So profitable was the clove trade, that wars over the monopoly of clove production and distribution were fought in the 13th and 14th centuries!
• Not sugar, but spice and all that’s nice:
• The nutrients found in cloves include protein and dietary fiber. Cloves are also rich in minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium and zinc. They are also a source of vitamins C, D. E, K, B6, and B12 and contain riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, and folate.
• That something so small can be so packed so much goodness demonstrates the power of Mother Nature.
• This is probably the most commonly known fact about cloves today. This is the reason that so many toothpaste advertisements revolve around this theme.
• This little flower bud is great for oral health in two ways-:
• First, it contains constituents like kaempferol and oleanolic acid which fight oral infections.
• Second, it acts as a good analgesic or pain reliever. In fact, clove oil is the prime constituent of a many toothache relieving products.
• Cloves are used in cooking for their wonderful aroma. In addition, they are immensely good for digestion as they stimulate the secretion of digestive enzymes. They also reduce flatulence, gastric irritability, dyspepsia, and nausea.
• Cloves are antimicrobials. They can help fight against serious diseases like Cholera which, in epidemic form, claim thousands of lives. Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholera which often attacks the small intestine resulting in debilitating and life-threatening diarrhea. The eugenol in cloves combats and eliminates the parasites and bacteria which trigger diarrhea.
• Boosting immunity: cloves have anti-microbial properties that help keep infections at bay. For boosting immunity and conserving health, prevention is better than cure.