6 Health benefits of ‘CLOVES’
They might be tiny, but cloves are giants when it comes to nutrition and natural health. Used often in Ayurvedic medicine, cloves are anti-fungal, antibacterial, antiseptic and analgesic. They’re packed with antioxidants and are good sources of minerals (especially manganese), omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and vitamins.
Here are six great uses for cloves, culled from an Ayurvedic tradition:
- Temporarily treat a toothache.You can temporarily alleviate the pain by dabbing a little clove oil on a cotton ball and placing it on the sore tooth or on your gums. An added benefit is that it will also pull out any infection.
- Relieve upper respiratory infections.Ayurveda suggests making a tea to lessen, or prevent, colds and flu. It is also used as an expectorant, making it easier to cough up phlegm. Cloves are a natural painkiller and also attack germs, so they’ll help you get rid of that sore throat.
- Reduce inflammation.Use clove oil to massage sore muscles; some also use it for arthritis and rheumatism.
- Treat scrapes and bruises.Cloves are pretty strong and can sting, so the best bet is to probably make a poultice with a little olive oil.
- Improve digestion. Cloves help relax the smooth lining of the GI tract, so they help alleviate vomiting, diarrhea, intestinal gas and stomachaches. Just be careful; since they’re strong, they can also irritate the stomach.
