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:

• Calories: 6
• Carbs: 1 gram
• Fiber: 1 gram
• Manganese: 55% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Vitamin K: 2% of the DV

Manganese is a mineral that is necessary for strong bones and healthy brain function. Cloves are only used in little amounts and do not contain large levels of minerals, despite being a rich source of manganese. Cloves are rich in vitamins and important minerals. They are also virtually free of calories and very high in fiber as well as natural antioxidant properties. But that is not all; the chemical component which gives cloves their powerful medicinal effects is eugenol.

Cloves are high in antioxidants and include a number of essential vitamins and minerals. Antioxidants are substances that lessen oxidative stress, which can help chronic disease development. Eugenol, a substance found in cloves, has been demonstrated to have antioxidant properties.

In fact, eugenol prevented oxidative damage brought on by free radicals five times more effective than vitamin E, another strong antioxidant, according to test-tube research. Your overall health can benefit from including cloves in your diet together with other foods high in antioxidants. Cloves are high in antioxidants, including eugenol, which can help reduce oxidative stress.

According to certain studies, the chemicals in cloves may aid in cancer prevention. In a test-tube investigation, clove extract increased the killing of cancer cells and assisted in slowing the growth of malignancies. Similar findings were found in another test-tube investigation, which showed that clove oil in concentrated form killed 80% of esophageal cancer cells. Clove eugenol has also been demonstrated to possess anticancer effects.

Eugenol accelerated cell death in cervical cancer cells, according to a test-tube study. However, keep in mind that the clove extract, clove oil, and eugenol employed in these test-tube investigations were all quite concentrated. When consumed in excess, clove oil can damage the liver, especially in young infants because eugenol is poisonous in high doses. It is necessary to conduct more research to understand how lower doses could impact people.

According to research, cloves have antibacterial qualities that can inhibit the growth of bacteria and other microbes. According to a test-tube study, clove essential oil eradicated three common forms of bacteria, including the food-poisoning-causing strain of bacteria E. coli. Additionally, cloves' antimicrobial qualities may even aid to advance oral health. Clove extracts were discovered in one test-tube investigation to inhibit the growth of two types of bacteria that cause gum disease.

Another 40-person trial examined the effects of a herbal mouthwash containing basil, tea tree oil, and cloves. They revealed improvements in gum health, plaque levels, and oral bacteria after using the herbal mouthwash for 21 days. The antibacterial properties of cloves may help your oral health when used in conjunction with routine brushing and good oral hygiene.

According to studies, cloves' healthy components may support liver function. Eugenol, a chemical, may be particularly advantageous for the liver. In one experiment, rats with fatty liver disease were given mixes that either included clove oil or eugenol. Both mixes lowered oxidative stress, reduced inflammation, and enhanced liver function. Another experiment on animals revealed that the compound eugenol in cloves could help alleviate the symptoms of liver cirrhosis or liver scarring.

Sadly, there is little information on how cloves and eugenol affect human liver health. One tiny study, however, discovered that taking eugenol supplements for a week reduced levels of glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs), a family of detoxifying enzymes that is frequently a sign of liver disease. Due to their capacity to reduce oxidative stress, cloves' high antioxidant content may also help prevent liver damage. Eugenol is poisonous in large doses, despite this. A case study on a 2-year-old boy revealed that 5–10 mL of clove oil seriously damaged the liver.

Cloves' chemical constituents may help regulate blood sugar, according to research. In a study on animals, mice with diabetes were given clove extract to help control blood sugar spikes. Another test-tube and animal study examined the results of nigericin, a substance present in cloves, on human muscle cells and diabetic mice.

Researchers discovered that cloves and nigericin increase the uptake of sugar from the circulation into cells, boost insulin production, and enhance the performance of cells that make insulin. A hormone called insulin is in charge of transferring sugar from your blood into your cells. For stable blood sugar levels to be maintained, insulin must work properly. Cloves may aid in controlling your blood sugar levels when combined with a balanced diet.

An estimated 43 million older persons in the United States alone are thought to have low bone mass, which can result in the development of osteoporosis and raise the risk of breaks and fractures. In animal tests, some of the chemicals in cloves were found to help maintain bone mass. For instance, eugenol-rich clove extract improved numerous osteoporosis indicators and boosted bone density and strength in animal research.

An amazing 30% of the DV of manganese is contained in just 1 teaspoon (2 grams) of ground cloves, another nutrient that is abundant in cloves. Manganese is a mineral that is crucial to the health of bones since it helps create them. A 12-week manganese supplementation regimen enhanced bone mineral density and bone development in animal research. However, the majority of the current research on the effects of cloves on bone mass is conducted in test tubes and on animals. To learn how it might impact human bone growth, more research is required.

According to certain studies, the chemicals in cloves may be able to cure stomach ulcers. Stomach ulcers sometimes referred to as peptic ulcers, are uncomfortable sores that develop in the lining of the stomach, duodenum, or esophagus. They are most frequently brought on by shrinkage of the stomach's protective lining, which can happen as a result of stress, infection, or genetics. Clove essential oil has been found in one animal investigation to stimulate the formation of gastrointestinal mucous.

Gastric mucus serves as a barrier and helps stop the stomach lining from being eroded by digestive acids. Another experiment on animals revealed that clove extract has anti-ulcer properties and was effective in treating stomach ulcers. Further research is required to determine the effects of cloves and their components on human ulcers, notwithstanding the possibility that these effects are anti-ulcer.