The pungent and warming smell of cloves has made them useful in cooking and medicine for ages. Small flower buds fashioned like nails have spread from their native Indonesian Maluku Islands to other parts of the globe, where they are used in traditional medicine and gastronomy. Both their distinctive flavor and the many health advantages they provide make them very desirable. A growing body of evidence suggests they may have positive effects on health, and this has many people thinking about adding them to their regular diet. But what, precisely, does a daily dose of two cloves do to your body?
The Clove’s Nutrient Profile
Essential nutrients abound in cloves. They provide a lot of beneficial nutrients, including vitamin K, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and manganese. The fiber in them also helps with digestion and keeps the digestive tract healthy. Among the many antioxidants found in cloves is the well-known anti-inflammatory and antibacterial eugenol.
Using Cloves to Enhance Immunity
Cloves are known to strengthen the immune system, which is one of the main reasons to eat them. A higher resistance to infections is a result of the immune system being fortified by the abundance of vitamin C and other antioxidants. Cloves provide a natural defense against infectious microbes, so eating them regularly may help keep the flu and common cold at bay.
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