Cloves

Description and Uses

Cloves are the rich, brown, dried, unopened flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum, an evergreen tree in the myrtle family. They are strong, pungent, and sweet. Cloves are native to Indonesia and used as a spice in cuisine all over the world. The clove tree is an evergreen which grows to a height ranging from 10-20 m, having large oval leaves and crimson flowers in numerous groups of terminal clusters. Cloves spice is used throughout Europe and Asia and is smoked in a type of cigarettes locally known as kretek in Indonesia. Cloves are also an important incense material in Chinese and Japanese culture. Cloves are used in spice cookies and cakes. They are a perfect breath freshener because it kills the bacteria that causes odor and leaves the mouth clean lasting and smelling. Cloves are also said to be a natural antihelmintic. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy when stimulation and warming is needed, especially for digestive problems. In overdoses, cloves can cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage.