Cloves pack a powerful punch of flavour, adding the most delicious aroma to curries, and it has some surprising health benefits. Versatile and admired by many, these tiny brown buds continue to serve as more than just a spice addition to many Mzansi spice racks.
While working alongside some amazing Indian friends, Buyiswa Lugayeni from Durban in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) discovered cloves, and she highlights the diverse ways cloves have benefitted her since.
“It’s no longer easy for me to have flu because I drink clove water every day, and it helps me immediately when I am coughing. I also find cloves helpful for managing vaginal odour and giving me fresh breath.”
Bountiful benefits
Beyond their medicinal uses, Lugayeni discovers surprising beauty secrets: “I don’t have wrinkles since I use it as a toner. Before I had too much dandruff, my scalp itched a lot, but now I am free from that because I spray clove water on my scalp.”
Cloves are also a go-to remedy for toothache.
Smilo Khumalo from Utrecht in KZN says he came across cloves while scrolling through the internet, and raves about their many benefits since incorporating them into his diet.
“I discovered cloves online, and I began to research more about their benefits. When I began adding cloves to my diet, I noticed improvements in both my immunity and digestion. I discovered other fascinating benefits, such as my brain fog disappearing, my digestion performance being at its highest peak, and my skin starting to glow,” he says.
According to dietitian Mantsha Komape from Pretoria, cloves are one of the most valuable spices. She says they have been used as a preservative and for many medicinal purposes, mainly due to their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities.
Beyond the medicine cabinet
These versatile buds, available whole, ground, or even as oil, boast a surprising range of benefits as she highlights some key advantages.
“Cloves improve digestion and stomach health, strengthen the immune system, improve bone health, and even control insulin in diabetics. But the benefits don’t stop there. Cloves’ potential extends to treating oral diseases, relieving headaches, fighting lung cancer, protecting the liver, and even improving vision in elderly patients.
“This powerful punch comes from a unique blend of nutrients. Cloves are enriched with good amounts of minerals like potassium, which controls heart rate and blood pressure, manganese, an antioxidant that protects the body from free radicals, and iron,” Komape explains.
Cloves’ uses extend far beyond the medicine cabinet, adds Komape.
“It’s a valuable kitchen spice, used to flavour meat products, cookies, chewing gum, spiced fruits, and pickles. The essence of cloves even finds its way into perfumes, soaps, toothpaste, and pharmaceuticals. Their potent antimicrobial properties make them ideal for mouthwash, dental creams, throat sprays, and toothpaste.”
While cloves offer a wealth of benefits, she underlines that moderation is key. The daily recommended amount is 2.5mg/kg of weight, cautions Komape.
“Excessive use, especially in infants, can lead to seizures. Heavy doses are also not recommended for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers as it may lead to inflammation.”
ALSO READ: Lentils sprout a world of flavour and nutrition
Get the Health For Mzansi newsletter: Your bi-weekly dose of kasi health, wellness and self-care inspiration.
