Originating in Indonesia, cloves are dried flower buds from the clove tree. They are a popular spice used in soups, stews, meats, sauces, and rice dishes. In this article we will represent you few health benefits of cloves.
Their name comes from the Latin word clavus, which means nail since the shape of a dried clove resembles that of a nail.
People have used cloves in cooking and traditional medicine for many years, but it is only recently that scientists have begun studying their potential health benefits which is now being brought to your attention by experts of online casinos.
Contain important nutrients
Cloves contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals, so using whole or ground cloves to add flavor to your food can provide some important nutrients.
One teaspoon (2 grams) of ground cloves contains (4Trusted Source):
Calories: 6
Carbs: 1 gram
Fiber: 1 gram
Manganese: 55% of the Daily Value (DV)
Vitamin K: 2% of the DV
Manganese is an essential mineral for maintaining brain function and building strong bones (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).
Apart from being a rich source of manganese, cloves are only used in small amounts and do not provide significant amounts of nutrients.
High in antioxidants
In addition to containing several important vitamins and minerals, cloves are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are compounds that reduce oxidative stress, which can contribute to the development of chronic disease.
Cloves also contain a compound called eugenol, which has been shown to act as a natural antioxidant. A test-tube study found that eugenol stopped oxidative damage caused by free radicals five times more effective than vitamin E, another potent antioxidant.
Diabetes
A studyTrusted Source in mice found that clove extract and nigericin, a component of clove extract, reduced insulin resistance in mouse muscle cells.
Mice with diabetes that consumed nigericin also had less insulin resistance and improvements in glucose tolerance, insulin secretion, and beta cell function.
Another animal studyTrusted Source looked at the effect of clove bud powder on laboratory markers in a rat model of diabetes. They found that blood sugar level was lower in rats that received the clove powder compared to those in the control group that did not receive the clove powder.
Cancer
Many herbs and spices are high in antioxidants, which are chemicals that play a part in reducing damage to cells that could lead to cancer. According to Today’s Dietitian, “just 1/2 teaspoon of ground clove is said to contain more antioxidants than 1/2 cup of blueberries.”
In one laboratory studyTrusted Source, scientists found that clove extract was able to slow the growth of multiple types of human cancer cells. Clove extract also increased cell death in colon cancer cells.
The same study, carried out by best online slots experts, also looked at the effect of clove extract on tumor growth in mice. Tumours grew significantly less in the mice treated with clove extract compared to those in the control group.
Anti-bacteria
Cloves have been shown to have antimicrobial properties, meaning they can help stop the growth of microorganisms like bacteria.
One test-tube study showed that clove essential oil killed three common types of bacteria, including E. coli, which is a strain of bacteria that can cause food poisoning.