From centuries together, clove has been a part of Indian culinary as well as traditional medicine. Times have changed and science has moved on, but clove still retains its prominence in our food as well as our health. Scientifically known as Syzygium aromaticum, clove has been a part of Asian exports and cuisine. Here are some of the health benefits of clove that can’t be ignored...

Toothache

No other herb seems to be as effective as clove when it comes to toothache. Clove relives the pain, works as anti-inflammatory by reducing the swelling around the teeth and prevents the infection from spreading to other teeth. Dab some clove oil on and around the affected teeth and watch the results. The effectiveness of clove on teeth is the reason why we could find it as an active ingredient in most of the toothpastes!

Cough

When it comes to respiratory problems, clove could be miraculous. Besides being anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial... clove acts as expectorant for coughs caused by phlegm. Further it can provide a soothing relief in many respiratory ailments such as sore throat, cold, bronchitis, asthma, sinusitis etc. Chew a clove regularly or drink some tea brewed along with clove to get relived from such problems.

Digestion

Cloves are used as `Carminatives’ in traditional medicine, which means that they are either intended to prevent formation of gas or facilitate its expulsion. Cloves are also known to improve the digestion. Further, cloves are considered as a sort of ` Anthelmintics’, which means that they are believed to get rid of worms and other parasites that are present in our digestive system.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a problem where the sugar levels in the body gets out of control, due to problems in insulin production and absorption. Recent studies were proving that clove can initiate the insulin production and thus control the sugar levels. According to a research done by Dr. Alam Khan, cloves have the capability of lowering the serum glucose from 225 mg to 150 mg, when clove is consumed for 30 days.

Joint Pains

There is no doubt that clove works as a reliever of pain and reducer of swelling. Further, it contains a chemical called `Eugenol’, which is proved to be an effective antiseptic and antioxidant. Eugenol is even known to have anaesthetic properties. It is even believed that Eugenol could help in maintaining bone density. So rub a bit of clove oil on the joints and add a piece of clove in your food, and you won’t complain about painful joints. Clove is also suggested in treating a lot of problems such as nausea, bad breath, vomiting, acne, earache and stress. Use it and you would know why!

- Nirjara.