An Eye on Food! Healthy-Foods Love those cloves It would appear as though pumpkin season is upon us once again. And I don’t know about you, but when I think pumpkin, I think warm fall spices. What would a pumpkin pie be without a hint of cloves? Ground cloves don’t just grow in those little tins, you know! This spice actually comes from flowers of the clove plant, which are then dried and ground into the culinary spice we see often in Asian and Indian cooking. This pungent and slightly sweet spice does lend a unique flavor to a pie and a curry, but it also packs quite a powerful punch in the health department.Healthy Spices, Fall flavor, whole cloves, ground cloves, Clove is an antibiotic and antiseptic. A compound called eugenol found in clove has antibiotic and antiseptic properties. It can help get rid of nasty bacteria from your gut. Ground clove is a strong digestive aid. That eugenol can also prevent problems with digestion. Eugenol is believed to ease pain caused by ulcers, could put an end to your heartburn, and it also provides a soothing effect for the stomach lining. Oral health. Many commercial toothpastes, chewing gums and mouthwashes contain ground clove—a natural breath freshener! Clove might also help ease tooth pain. If you are experiencing gum pain, ground clove might numb the pain when applied directly to the gums. It is hard to get an ample amount of ground clove into your diet to enjoy its health benefits if you’re relying on a sprinkle here and a sprinkle there. But, you can find clove oil available as a nutritional supplement. In addition to the health benefits above, clove oil is taken by people who wish to boost their body’s ability to resist toxins. It also provides nutrients like calcium, omega-3s, manganese, calcium, Vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants. If oil isn’t your thing, you can make a clove tea out of whole cloves. Grind a tablespoon of whole cloves with a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder (one tablespoon of cloves per cup of tea). You want small pieces, not a powder. Boil a cup of water and add the cloves to it. Let the tea steep for twenty minutes for a good strong brew. Pour the tea through a strainer and enjoy! You might want to add honey to sweeten it up a bit. Do you enjoy cloves as part of your health regime?
Posted on: Sat, 05 Oct 2013 22:57:31 +0000
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