CLOVES / LOUNG_ 40-GM

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.

In addition to containing several important vitamins and minerals, cloves are rich in antioxidants (7Trusted Source).

Antioxidants are compounds that reduce oxidative stress, which can contribute to the development of chronic disease (8Trusted Source).

Cloves also contain a compound called eugenol, which has been shown to act as a natural antioxidant.

In fact, a test-tube study found that eugenol stopped oxidative damage caused by free radicals five times more effectively than vitamin E, another potent antioxidant (9Trusted Source).

Including cloves in your diet along with other antioxidant-rich foods can help improve your overall health.

Some research suggests that the compounds found in cloves might help protect against cancer.

One test-tube study found that clove extract helped stop the growth of tumors and promoted cell death in cancer cells (10Trusted Source).

Another test-tube study observed similar results, showing that concentrated amounts of clove oil caused cell death in 80% of esophageal cancer cells (11Trusted Source).

The eugenol found in cloves has also been shown to have anticancer properties.

A test-tube study found that eugenol promoted cell death in cervical cancer cells (12Trusted Source).

However, keep in mind that these test-tube studies used very concentrated amounts of clove extract, clove oil, and eugenol.

Eugenol is toxic in high amounts and overdosing on clove oil may cause liver damage, especially in children. Further research is needed to determine how lower amounts may affect humans (13Trusted Source).

Cloves have been shown to have antimicrobial properties, meaning they can help stop the growth of microorganisms like bacteria (14Trusted Source).

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 (15Trusted Source).

What’s more, the antibacterial properties of cloves could even help promote oral health.

In one test-tube study, the compounds extracted from cloves were found to stop the growth of two types of bacteria that contribute to gum disease (16Trusted Source).

Another study in 40 people tested the effects of an herbal mouthwash consisting of tea tree oil, cloves, and basil.

After using the herbal mouthwash for 21 days, they showed improvements in gum health, as well as the amount of plaque and bacteria in the mouth (17Trusted Source).

In combination with regular brushing and proper oral hygiene, the antibacterial effects of cloves may benefit your oral health.

Studies show that the beneficial compounds in cloves could help promote liver health.

The compound eugenol may be especially beneficial for the liver.

One animal study fed rats with fatty liver disease mixtures containing either clove oil or eugenol.

Both mixtures improved liver function, reduced inflammation, and decreased oxidative stress (18Trusted Source).

Another animal study showed that the eugenol found in cloves helped reverse signs of liver cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver (2Trusted Source).

Unfortunately, research on the liver-protecting effects of cloves and eugenol in humans is limited.

However, one small study found that taking eugenol supplements for 1 week decreased levels of glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs), a family of enzymes involved in detoxification that’s often a marker of liver disease (19Trusted Source, 20Trusted Source).

Cloves are also high in antioxidants, which may help prevent liver disease due to their ability to help decrease oxidative stress (21Trusted Source).

Nevertheless, eugenol is toxic in high amounts. One case study in a 2-year-old boy showed that 5–10 mL of clove oil caused serious liver damage .