Cloves are a fragrant spice made from the dried flowers of the clove tree. In the past, spices used to be worth their weight in gold, and cloves were no exception. Native to the Spice Islands near China, cloves spread throughout Europe and Asia during the late Middle Ages as a key part of local cuisine. Today, cloves remain a popular spice that gives many dishes a subtly sweet warmth. 

Cloves can be used whole or ground. You might include ground cloves in spice mixes and whole cloves in recipes to add depth and flavours to a wide variety of foods. These small dark brown pods are used in curries, seasoned meats, Worcestershire sauce, baked goods, chai, and Chinese five-spice blends. They also offer some health benefits. 

Cloves contain a lot of manganese; a mineral that helps your body manage the enzymes that help repair your bones and make hormones. Manganese can also act as an antioxidant that protects your body from harmful free radicals (unstable atoms that cause cell damage). 

Cloves are also a great source of:

Vitamin K 

Potassium 

Beta-carotene 

One teaspoon of cloves has: 

• Calories: 6 

• Protein: Less than 1 gram 

• Fat: Less than 1 gram 

• Carbohydrates: 1 gram 

• Fiber: 1 gram 

• Sugar: Less than 1 gram 

 They're a great source of beta-carotene, which helps give cloves their rich brown colour. Carotenes, a family of pigments, act as important antioxidants and provitamins. Carotene pigments can convert into vitamin A, an important nutrient for keeping your eyes healthy. 

 Some health benefits of cloves include:

 Lower inflammation. Cloves contain many compounds known for their anti-inflammatory properties, with eugenol being the most important. It's been shown to reduce your body's inflammatory response, which can lower your risk of health issues such as arthritis and help manage symptoms. 

 Fewer free radicals. Cloves are full of antioxidants, including eugenol. Antioxidants help your body fight free radicals, which damage your cells. By removing free radicals from your system, the antioxidants found in cloves can help lower your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers

. Reduced ulcers. Some studies show that cloves may help protect your stomach from ulcers. Most ulcers are caused by thinning of the layers of mucus that protect your stomach lining. Early research shows that eating cloves in large amounts can thicken this mucus, lowering your risk of getting ulcers and helping to heal ulcers that you already have.

  Improved liver function. Cloves may also help your liver work better. Some studies have shown that eugenol found in cloves can also help reduce signs of liver cirrhosis and fatty liver disease.

 Cloves for toothache. Clove oil has been used to ease toothache as far back as 1649. It's still a popular treatment today, thanks to eugenol. Eugenol is a natural anaesthetic (numbing agent). Although clove essential oil is good for treating pain, there isn't enough proof that it also kills the bacteria causing the issue. 

  Treating dental erosion. Some high-acid foods and drinks may break down your tooth enamel (the hard, outer layer of your teeth). One study found that the eugenol in clove oil, when applied to teeth, may reverse or lessen these effects. But more research is needed to fully explore clove oil as a treatment or way to prevent tooth enamel erosion.