Clove is a nice fresh herb. They are unopened pink or green flowers of the clove tree. The color depends on the type of tree. The clove tree only grows in tropical areas. Cloves are eaten fresh in the tropics. Cloves are dried for consumption in the rest of the world. NB! This article is written from the personal view of the author and may contain information that is not scientifically substantiated and/or in line with the general view.

Contents:

• Clove for toothache
• Chock full of manganese
• Eugenol in cloves
• Flavonoids in cloves
• Where is it produced?
• Eating tips for cloves
• Kretek, the clove cigarette

Clove for toothache

Since a few centuries ago, people put cloves in their mouths when they had toothache. Today, substances from cloves are still used in dentistry. The active substance in cloves is called eugenol. Oils are made from it and are used in root canal treatments. The clove also has many anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. The tooth or tooth root inflammation is actually inhibited by the small clove. It is also a commonly used agent in mouthwashes. You can make your own mouthwash with cloves.

Chock full of manganese

Even a little spice contains vitamins and minerals. Cloves contain vitamin C and vitamin K. 4 Grams of cloves provide 5% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamin C. The cloves contain a relatively large amount of calcium and magnesium and are chock full of manganese. 4 Grams of cloves contain no less than 60% of the RDA for manganese.Cloves taste super fresh. You can use it to freshen your mouth. You can put it in homemade mouthwash. 

Eugenol in cloves

This small, sharp dried clove flower contains a lot of eugenol. This is a substance that dissolves environmentally polluting toxins such as tetrachloromethane (stain water) and ensures that the body is rid of toxins. Scientific research has been done into this, just as it has been researched that cloves can prevent cancer. In particular, cancer risks in the intestines, such as stomach and intestinal cancer, appear to be reduced.

Flavonoids in cloves

In addition to eugenol, cloves contain the flavonoids kaempferol and rhamnetin. These substances help to increase the anti-inflammatory properties of eugenol. Together, these phytonutrients ensure that cloves have an antioxidant effect. Kaempferol is known for its synergistic effects. This means that it strengthens the properties of other substances. In collaboration with quercetin, kaempferol can fight cancer cells.

Where is it produced?

Cloves come from the Moluccas, which is now part of Indonesia. At the time when this area was still part of the Dutch Kingdom, there were only clove plantations in the Moluccas. Later, the Dutch also planted clove trees in New Guinea, which is close to the Moluccas. As an independent country, Indonesia did not hold its number 1 position as a clove exporter for long. Nowadays more cloves are produced in Zanzibar, Brazil, Sri Lanka and India.You can grind dried cloves yourself in a coffee grinder or manually with a mortar. Then you get clove powder 

Eating tips for cloves

Clove powder is a common ingredient in Indian curries. You can also use it in spice blends for cookies. Use little of it because it has a strong taste. For example, it is found in gingerbread and gingerbread spices. Clove powder can be used in homemade jams and compotes. Cloves themselves can be cooked with vegetables. It gives green beans an extra flavor dimension. You can also use the cloves in a mix of self-composed herbal teas.

Kretek, the clove cigarette

In Indonesia, cloves have become a very popular spice, especially when smoking kretek. Kretek are clove cigarettes. Some people suggest that a kretek is so called because you sometimes hear a soft crackling sound (krrr-tek) when a kretek cigarette is smoked. In Indonesia, more kretek are smoked than regular cigarettes.

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