Brown and hard, dried in the sun, this clove flower bud is a spice with a pungent and warm flavor. For more than 2000 years, clove has been a spice used in Asia for its medicinal and culinary properties. It later arrived in Europe in the Middle Ages to become a commodity as famous as pepper.
Today, 95% of the world’s clove production is used to make Indonesian cigarettes. The clove tree is a fragile tree which only bears fruit after the eighth year of existence. It rarely reaches flowering because the flower buds are harvested before the petals appear. The crop is then dried until the nails turn brown.
1 – CLOVE AGAINST Stomachache
A clove infusion helps combat various digestive problems, particularly stomach aches and bloating.
To prepare it, infuse 4 or 5 cloves for around ten minutes in a large cup of boiling water.
2 – CLOVE AGAINST BAD BREATH
To avoid a bad odor in your mouth, suck a clove after each meal. This will give you good breath. Very good for teeth and breath.
3 – IT RELIEVES DENTAL PAIN
Eugenol is a valuable antiseptic in crisis situations on painful gums and teeth. “It actually acts on peripheral opioid receptors, nerve endings which allow us to perceive pain autonomously” explains Franck Dubus, doctor of pharmacy. Prefer an oily maceration in mouthwash or a mother tincture, which limits the risk of irritation.
4 – IN MASSAGE, IT WILL RELIEVE YOU FROM YOUR MUSCLE AND RHEUMATIC PAIN
You can try the recipe for pain-relieving massage oils or try the one based on cloves. Because clove is an anti-inflammatory. It can also relieve your muscle, joint and rheumatic pain. To do this, add around 10 drops of clove essential oil to 30 cl of vegetable oil (jojoba or sweet almond). You massage painful areas with this preparation three times a day. The pain should be relieved within 48 hours.
5 – CLOVES AGAINST COLDS
If you want to prevent winter ailments, consider clove essential oil. Its antiviral and antibacterial properties will help you avoid the flu, colds and other winter infections…
First method to benefit from its benefits: dilute 1 to 2 drops of essential oil in a teaspoon of olive oil, to swallow before a meal. Second method: dilute 1 to 2 drops of essential oil on a piece of sugar, to melt under the tongue before the meal. Regardless of the technique used, you can use it 1 to 3 times a day, for a maximum of a week.
6 – IN CASE OF URINARY INFECTION (OR KIDNEY STONES)
To calm and soothe urinary infections, you can once again opt for an infusion made from cloves as presented earlier. You can also add a drop (well, just one) of lavender essential oil for greater effectiveness against your cystitis. Of course, this shouldn’t stop you from going to see a doctor!
7 – CLOVES FOR HAIR
Clove fights effectively against hair loss (take a few cloves, add olive oil then leave for 2 days then apply to the hair.