The clove flower bud (Eugenia aromatica) is pink in colour, and when dried, turns brown. Clove is native to the Moluccas or Spice Islands (Indonesia), the Southern Philippines. Presently, Zanzibar is the largest producer of cloves. Also it is cultivated commercially in Sumatra, Jamaica, Brazil, India, Caribbean, Pemba, Madagascar and other tropical areas. It can be purchase quite easily in most Metropolis of the World.
The health benefits of cloves include the prevention of toxicity from contaminants such as tetra-chloromethane, cancers related to the digestive tract, and joint inflammation. In a number of medical studies, the essential oils of cloves are used in dentistry in coincidence with root canal treatment, short-term cavity fillings, and common gum ache. The chemical compounds in clove join to make clove a soft anaesthetic in addition to an anti-bacterial agent.
The use of cloves in cooking helps in relieving flatulence and helps in the healing of various ailments of the digestive system. It is useful in promoting a healthy metabolism and good digestion. In addition, to its digestive properties, herbalists also use clove oil or clove extracts in treating diarrhea and nausea and various other stomach disorders. In certain parts of Asia, cloves are used as remedies to cholera, scabies, malaria and consumption. It has powerful anti-spasmodic properties and hence is useful in relieving muscle aches and pains in the form of a topical lotion or ointment.
Antiseptic and Antispasmodic Effects:-
Due to its antiseptic characteristics, clove and clove oil work as an effective remedy for some common problems such as cuts, fungal infections, burns, wounds, athlete's foot and bruises. The clove oil if directly applied on the skin can cause irritation. The clove oil is hence used in the diluted form. As an antispasmodic agent, clove oil helps to relieve muscle spasms when applied topically near the affected portion.
Aphrodisiac:-
Extract of clove has been shown to enhance the sexual behaviour of male mice. The results of the study resulted in a significant and sustained increase in the sexual activity of normal male rats, without any adverse effects. The results seem to support the claims for its traditional usage as an aphrodisiac.
Mosquito Repellent
The natural oil of clove is a natural mosquito repellent and can give protection against mosquitoes for 4-5 hours.
Immune System:-
Clove and clove oil boosts the immune system by purifying the blood and helps to fight against various diseases.
Cardiovascular:-
The compound eugenol from cloves has been found to be a potent platelet inhibitor (prevents blood clots).
Similarly, Garlic is much stronger than Clove in this context.
Antiseptic and Antispasmodic Effects
Due to its antiseptic characteristics, clove and clove oil work as an effective remedy for some common problems such as cuts, fungal infections, burns, wounds, athlete's foot and bruises. The clove oil if directly applied on the skin can cause irritation. The clove oil is hence used in the diluted form. As an antispasmodic agent, clove oil helps to relieve muscle spasms when applied topically near the affected portion.
Clove oil can be used as an inhalant for various respiratory problems such as cold, cough, sinusitis, asthma, bronchitis and tuberculosis. It is the main ingredient on the Topical side of Plaster used on flesh wounds.
Cloves are used for treating a number of health conditions such as malaria, cholera, scabies in the tropical Asian countries.
Cloves can effectively cure many digestive problems. Cloves are known to have medicinal qualities to cure flatulence, loose motions, indigestion and nausea. Cloves are useful in relieving the symptoms of diarrhea, gastric irritability and vomiting.
Cloves benefit the diabetic patients by controlling the blood glucose levels. The essential constituent (Eugenol) found in cloves is also powerful for preventing blood clots. Similarly, Garlic is much stronger in this context.
Clove oil mixed with milk and salt can be used as a home remedy for headache. It is one of the effective remedies for stye and various eye infections.
If a piece of clove is applied to stye, it gives a great relief. Clove is used as a relief for ear aches, a mixture of clove oil and sesame oil is warmed and applied ear aches.
Apart from these health benefits of cloves, they are known to offer various other general benefits too. Clove oil is used for the preparation of various beauty creams and lotions. It is also extensively used as a massage oil to provide relief from stress.
Clove oil, in the form of purified liquid is widely used in synthetic vanilla and also used as flavours in the manufacture of perfumes, soaps and various toiletries.
The clove oil makes an excellent natural Mosquito Repellent as well as moth repellent and can protect against mosquitoes for 4-5 hours.
How to Make Clove Oil:-
In order to make clove oil at home, you will need to have fresh cloves. If you have fresh cloves, then use four for this recipe. If you have old cloves, you should use six. Semi crush the cloves and put them in a small container. Pour in enough olive oil to cover them and let this stand for about a week. If you have the luxury of time, let it stand for longer. Remember that the longer it steeps, the stronger the oil will become. If you plan on steeping it for more than a month, after 15 days, pour in a little more oil. Do remember that this will give you very highly concentrated oil. Strain the oil before using it.
Clove in Food:-
Traditionally in Ghana very few people actually used a variety of spices in their food, because most of our staple diet was organically grown and you could actually tasted the nutrients in them.
For instance, tomatoes in the 80’s tasted very sweet like plums. But since the introduction of fertilizers
to the crops, there no longer any taste to it.
Adding spices to your food will innovatively be treating oneself to not only a tastier dish, but a healthier lifestyle.
Cloves & Cinnamon gives a great taste to any dish. My favourite method when roasting a leg of Goat or Sheep would be to:-
Equally insert about 12 Cloves into the flesh and leave overnight before cooking.
Chop a large strong scented Onion, 2 x tablespoons of Thyme, Rosemary, Cinnamon, a Scotch Bonnet Pepper, 3 x Cloves of Garlic and put the lot into a blender with a cup of Peanut or Corn Cooking Oil and blend the mixture for about 2 mins.
Take this mixture and base the Leg, put it into the Oven on a medium fire to roast for about 2-3 hours.
Don’t forget to base with the spice mixture and turn the Leg over every 15 mins to achieve a fully cooked roast.
Serve your roast with a large helping of Jolouf Rice using only Ghanaian grown Brown Rice cooked with Pigeon Peas/Beans, a cup of Coconut Cream, Thyme, Rosemary, Cinnamon, one half of a Scotch Bonnet Pepper. Now enjoy a meal fit for Kings & Queens.
Teacher Baffour
Sources: Personal & The Web
1. Lawless, J. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils. England, Element Books, Limited, 1995, p. 223.
2. Buckle, RGN, Clinical Aromatherapy in Nursing. San Diego, CA, Singular Publishing Group, 1997, p. 58.
