What are cloves used for? Where and how does the clove grow, what does the spice look like, what useful properties and contraindications does this spice have? How and where spice grows

Carnation- dry unblown flowers of the Clove tree. The flower buds are colored pink or yellow, and after drying they become brown with a red tint. Clove has a powerful aroma and pungent taste. The bud consists of a cylindrical receptacle, from which 4 small sepals extend from above (see photo). Ground cloves are not particularly popular, as they lose their consumer qualities in a short period of time.

The clove tree blooms 2 times per season, which allows you to collect a large harvest. The buds are dried naturally, that is, they are simply laid out in the sun. The fact that the process is completed will be indicated by a characteristic crack when breaking. After a while, the buds become plastic again.

To obtain clove oil, the leaves and buds are steam distilled. To get 1 kg of oil, you need to take 20 kg of the final raw material. The oil turns out to be liquid with a burning taste, and the aroma is tart.

The Moluccas are considered to be the birthplace of cloves. Today, the main suppliers of spices are the island of Zanzibar and Pembu.

How to choose and store?

Most often, when choosing spices, including cloves, people buy them in small bags that do not make it possible to see the contents. If you do not want to buy a "pig in a poke", then buy a carnation by weight.

A quality spice should have an oily coating, so take it in your hands and rub it. A large amount of essential oil is a sign of the quality of the spice.

At home, you can test the quality of a clove by dropping it into a container of water. Because oil is heavier than water, a good-quality clove will float vertically, while a poor-quality one will float horizontally. If the spice has fallen to the bottom, you have managed to buy a high quality spice.

Another way to check the quality of the spice is to spread the cloves on a sheet of paper and cover with another one on top. Then they are carried out on top of them with a rolling pin or simply pressed with their hands. If the spice is of good quality, it will leave oily spots on the paper. Choose cloves that have flexible petioles. If you see shriveled and dry buds, then most likely the spice is old and when using it you will not get the desired taste and aroma.

Store cloves in a dark place in a container without air access. If you need ground cloves, then grind it just before use.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of such a fragrant spice with a piquant taste are very diverse.

The composition of cloves includes substances that have a positive effect on the digestive system. This spice increases appetite, strengthens the stomach and liver. It contains fiber, which improves intestinal motility and cleanses it of toxins and other decay products.

There are B vitamins in cloves, which take part in metabolic processes, improve the condition of muscle tissue and the functioning of the nervous system. Contains spice and ascorbic acid, which plays an important role in the activity of the whole organism. The spice also contains many minerals that have a variety of beneficial properties and are undoubtedly necessary for normal life.

Carnation has a diaphoretic and diuretic effect, which helps to remove excess fluid from the body and get rid of puffiness.

Useful properties of cloves are due to its composition. Due to this, this ingredient is used not only in cooking, but also in traditional medicine. In our article, you can learn more about the beneficial properties of cloves, as well as for which diseases it is recommended to use it.

Most often, this ingredient is added to tea, making it not only fragrant, but also very useful. Such a drink is used in the treatment of viral and catarrhal diseases such as tonsillitis, SARS, colds, sore throats and others. You need to brew cloves in this way:

Mix grated ginger with three cloves, then add half a cinnamon stick.
Pour 500 milliliters of cold water into a container, then put the dishes on the fire and bring the liquid to a boil.
When the water boils, add a couple of lemon slices and a sweetener of your choice (it can be honey, sugar or raspberry jam) to the container.
Remove the bowl with the ingredients from the heat and add about fifteen milliliters of black tea infusion. Leave the drink to infuse for ten minutes, after which you can use it.

The healing properties of cloves make it possible to use it as an anesthetic for joint pain, as well as for headache and toothache.

Very useful for health and aromatherapy with cloves. However, it is not the flower buds of the plant that are used, but the essential oil, which has amazing properties, helping to improve memory and concentration, speed up recovery after a hard day's work, and increase blood pressure during hypotension. Aromatherapy with clove essential oil will also be useful for people with diseases of the heart and blood vessels, favorably affecting the functioning of the circulatory system.

Among other things, the use of cloves as infusions or decoctions will be beneficial for male and female health, helping to cure diseases of the reproductive organs. To prepare such a healing remedy, you need to add a large spoonful of dried clove flowers to one liter of boiling water, insist the mixture for two hours, and then take it fifty milliliters a day. It is best to do this in the evening. The course of treatment should be at least ten days.

The benefit of dried cloves is that it is useful to take decoctions based on it to improve vision, to fight acne and acne on the face, and also to combine with weight loss diets. In the fight against excess weight, the essential oil of clove seeds, which is used for anti-cellulite massage and body wraps, can also help.

Put twenty dried clove flowers in a deep container, boil water in a kettle and pour a glass of boiling water over the ingredients.
Leave the broth to infuse in a dark place for a day, covering the container with a lid.
The finished product should be used three times a day, drinking 1/3 cup of the decoction at a time.
The course of treatment should be continuous and be at least six months.

Thanks to the detailed characteristics of cloves, you can use it at home, preparing healing decoctions and infusions based on this ingredient, which will benefit your body and help get rid of certain diseases.

Use in cosmetology

Clove oil is used for cosmetic purposes. It is added to various creams, perfumes, balms, etc. With it, you can get rid of acne, ulcers and even cellulite.

Cosmetic products using cloves have a rejuvenating and antioxidant effect.

Essential oil can be used for flaky skin. The oil also has a positive effect on the condition of the hair, improving their growth and shine.

In cosmetology, the use of cloves is based on the preparation of masks and other mixtures that can provide skin, hair and body care. In this case, it is most often not dried plant stars that are used, but the essential oil of the seeds. We have put together a few simple recipes for making masks at home, with which you can make useful self-care products yourself.

First of all, let's look at the preparation of mixtures for the face. Here are some of the highest quality and most commonly used recipes.

For acne it is necessary to mix three drops of clove essential oil, ten milliliters of pomegranate juice and about five grams of gray cosmetic clay. mix the products thoroughly with each other to get a homogeneous mixture. Before applying the mask, you need to steam your face. It is best to apply the product immediately after you take a bath. Apply a mask with cloves on steamed skin with gentle massaging movements, distributing the mixture over problem areas. Wait until the mask is completely dry, then wash it off with soap and warm water.
Anti-wrinkle another mask with clove oil will help. To prepare it, you need to mix five drops of essential oil, a tablespoon of fermented baked milk and grated potato root, previously peeled. Leave the finished product for thirty-five minutes, applying evenly over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe skin. After a while, you need to wash off the mask with warm water and cotton pads.
In order to get rid of blackheads and acne, you need to prepare the following mask: mix four drops of clove essential oil of clove, twenty grams of buckwheat flour and three grams of zinc ointment, also add a little green tea to make the mask more liquid and viscous. Apply the finished product on the face, leaving the eyelids and nasolabial triangle untouched, and leave for twenty-five minutes, after which the mask must be washed off.
For oily skin another mask is suitable, which can be prepared as follows. Take four drops of clove essential oil, one egg white and five grams of dried and crushed psyllium. Mix the ingredients, getting a homogeneous mass, which must be applied to a steamed clean face for ten minutes, then rinse.
If you are concerned dry skin, then you will need a recipe for making a moisturizing mask with cloves. To make it yourself, mix fifteen grams of fresh cottage cheese, five grams of coconut oil, and add three to four drops of clove ester. After mixing the ingredients, apply the mask on the skin in a thick layer, avoiding the area around the eyes, and leave for fifteen minutes, after which remove the product with cotton pads.
Also you can cook peeling mask for the face, which will help not only make the skin softer, but also remove dead skin particles and cleanse the pores of oil and dirt. You can make it this way: take a deep container and add five drops of clove essential oil, twenty grams of fresh applesauce and ten grams of regular baking soda to it, mix it all up, then apply it on a clean, dry face, rubbing the mixture with your fingertips. This mask should be left on the skin for four to five minutes, then rinse with water and apply a nourishing cream to the face..

Any of the above clove-based face masks will help you get rid of skin problems, but remember that you can use such products no more than three times a week. Also, do not forget about the correct proportions, the violation of which will not only cast doubt on the result, but also can harm.

Clove oil in cosmetology is used not only for the preparation of facial products. With the help of this ingredient, you can make useful hair masks that will help accelerate their growth, stop hair loss and make curls lively and shiny even after several dyes. We suggest you take note of several recipes for making cloves-based therapeutic hair masks that can replace even expensive salon shampoos.

For dry hair, a clove mask is suitable, which can be prepared in this way: take one egg yolk, add a small spoonful of liquid honey to it, five drops of clove and burdock oil, then mix the resulting mixture until smooth. If the hair is longer than shoulder length, the amount of ingredients should be doubled. Distribute the finished mask through the hair, starting from the roots, and leave for an hour, wrapping the head with plastic wrap. After a while, wash off the mask with warm water and shampoo.
If you want to heal your hair and give it shine, then another mask will help. To prepare it, mix grape and clove oil in a ratio of 6:1, respectively. The finished mixture is applied to clean, dry hair, paying special attention to the roots and ends, after which the mask is left for an hour and a half, and then washed off.
It is also possible to fight dandruff with a homemade mask. To prepare it, you need to mix five small spoons of crushed sea salt with kefir in the amount of one glass, after which add five drops of clove essential oil to the mixture. It is necessary to apply the mask only on the scalp and hair roots, evenly distributing the mixture with your fingers. After that, you should wrap your hair with a film and leave the mask for two to three hours, after which the mixture should be washed off with a large amount of shampoo and water.

When using hair masks based on clove essential oil, be aware that they may not wash off well. For this reason, you should use a little more shampoo than usual so that fatty oils do not remain on the scalp or hair.

The benefits of cloves and treatment

The benefits of cloves are widely used in traditional medicine recipes. The spice has a warming effect, so it is used in the treatment of colds and respiratory diseases.

On the basis of cloves, various decoctions and infusions are prepared, which are used to treat many diseases. For example, a decoction of spices helps to cope with eye diseases.

The essential oil of clove acts on the body as an analgesic and antiviral agent. It is included in the recipes of various ointments and balms. It is also used as an antiseptic to get rid of toothache.

Clove helps to cope with bad breath, even after eating garlic and onions. Its use, in addition, is an excellent prevention of caries.

If clove oil is applied to wounds and boils, they will heal faster.

Among other things, dried cloves and its essential oil are actively used in the treatment of inflammation of the organs of vision, joints, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and ear pain. Nevertheless, in order for the cloves to benefit the body, it is necessary not only to take into account contraindications, but also follow the instructions, as well as observe the proportions during the preparation of the drug. Don't forget to consult your doctor before taking cloves.

Use in cooking

Cloves have found wide application in cooking and most often it is included in recipes for various marinades that are necessary for cooking fish, meat and poultry. The spice is used in the manufacture of homemade meat products, for example, sausages, etc. In Georgia, the spice is added to the first dishes to get a spicier taste. A variety of sauces are prepared on the basis of cloves.

Cloves are used in desserts, for example, in puddings and various cakes. The spice complements the taste of compotes, tea and other drinks.

Cloves are also used in the preservation of vegetables, for example, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.

Secrets of use

So that the spice does not spoil, but only improves the taste of the final dish, there are several secrets in its use:

There are specially developed norms that determine the required amount of cloves for the preparation of a particular product:

10 kg of mushrooms - 1-2 g;
marinade for fruits and vegetables 10 l - from 3 to 5 g;
1 kg of dough - 4 pcs.;
1 kg of cottage cheese - 4 caps;
for 1 liter of liquid (soup, compote) - 2 kidneys.

If you use other spices during cooking, the amount of cloves should be reduced by 2 times.

What can be substituted in the recipe?

In some recipes, cloves can be easily replaced with other ingredients, and the taste of the dish will not suffer from this at all. For example, if you can't find the product you're looking for, you can use cinnamon instead. This spice has a similar aroma to cloves, and when ground, it almost does not differ from ground cloves. At the same time, cinnamon can be added both to desserts and pastries, and to first or second courses to spice them up.

Nutmeg can also be an excellent substitute for cloves. It can also be used to prepare various dishes, but most hostesses prefer this ingredient in baking.

You can also replace cloves with allspice, but in this case it is not recommended to add the product to pastries or desserts, since pepper is only suitable for cooking first and second courses, salads and meat.

Among other products, cloves can be replaced with basil and anise, if you are not interested in the taste of the spice, but in its beneficial properties. These ingredients are suitable for the preparation of medicinal infusions, but it is better not to add them to food instead of cloves.

Harm of cloves and contraindications

Cloves can harm people who suffer from hypertension. It is not recommended to use the spice for pregnant women. Cloves are contraindicated in gastritis with high acidity, ulcers, as well as overwork, and strong physical and psychological stress. You can not use cloves in the presence of individual intolerance to the product.

Before using clove oil, you need to check if you have any allergies. To do this, apply a small amount of it on your hand, and if you feel a burning sensation, then you should immediately wash it off and do not use it again. When ingesting, observe the dosage: no more than 3 drops. Never drink oil on an empty stomach.

Use against ticks, mosquitoes, midges, ants and flies

Cloves are often used as a remedy against insects such as ticks, mosquitoes, midges, ants and flies. Some hostesses prefer to simply sprinkle dried plant buds in the room in those places where insects live most often, but it is much more effective to use a spray.. Preparing it is very simple, you need to do the following:

Take a glass of water and pour it into an iron mug, then pour two tablespoons of powdered cloves into it. If one is not available, you can use clove essential oil or grind dry flowers in a coffee grinder.
Put the mug with the ingredients on the fire and boil for five minutes.
Cool the resulting mixture, filter and pour into a container with a spray bottle, so that it is convenient to spray the liquid around the room or on the body.

Using this homemade insect repellent spray is also very simple. Whenever you are about to go to the forest or to the river, just spray on clean skin, wait until it dries, and then you can go. Thanks to this tool, you will not be afraid of mosquitoes or ticks, even if you are going to spend the night in nature. However, it should be remembered that people with individual intolerance or allergy to cloves should not use such a spray.

23.01.2018

Here you will learn everything about cloves: what are the health benefits of this spice, contraindications for use, how it is used in cooking. It is one of the highly valued spices widely recognized throughout the world for its medicinal and culinary qualities. Learn more about cloves - what they are, what they are made of, what are the benefits and possible harms, and everything about its use in the culinary and medical world.

What is a clove?

Cloves are dry, reddish-brown, unopened flower buds of a tropical evergreen tree used as a condiment with a strong aroma and a sweet-spicy warming taste. Widely used in Indian, Middle Eastern and North African cooking.

It pairs beautifully with apple, orange, ham, pork and chocolate flavors, as well as other spices such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom.

Cloves are also one of the ingredients in many spice blends, such as baharat, a Chinese five-spice condiment, curry, garam masala, and others.

What does clove seasoning look like - photo

The whole spice has the shape of a small reddish-brown spike, usually about one centimeter long, with a bulbous top.

general description

This spice has nothing to do with the clove flower, clove seasoning is the flower buds of an evergreen tropical clove tree, which is found in the Indonesian Moluccas, known as the "Spice Islands".

Botanically, clove spice belongs to the Myrtaceae family, genus Syzygium, and is scientifically called Syzyigium aromaticum.

The name "cloves" comes from the French word clou, meaning "nail" - this is what this spice resembles in appearance.

In the early stages of development, flower buds are pale in color, then gradually turn green and finally develop into bright red carnation buds at harvest time. The buds are usually harvested by hand when they are 1.5-2 cm long, then polished before being sent for sale.

How spice cloves grow

The clove tree grows up to about 9 meters tall.

Structurally, each bud consists of a long calyx, ending in four flared sepals and four unopened petals. These closed petals develop into a small ball (dome) at the top.

The sweet aroma of cloves comes from the eugenol essential oil it contains.

Cloves are grown in India and Madagascar, but if there is a country on earth that is most closely associated with the production of this spice, it is Indonesia.

How is clove seasoning obtained?

Unopened flower buds of the clove tree are harvested from plants older than 6-8 years. A good harvest does not happen every year.

The spice is harvested by hand so as not to damage the branches, dried in the sun. As it dries, the color of the buds changes from pale to dark brown. The drying process cannot be accelerated, otherwise the cloves will become dry and brittle, and not elastic.

How to choose spice cloves and where to buy

A good clove is red-brown in color, it should give off a sweet aroma when squeezed between thumb and forefinger and be oily to the touch,

This spice is often sold in stores in the spice section in whole and ground form. Buy a whole clove instead of a powder, as it can often contain adulterated spice additives. The buds should be whole, with a stem and sepals and compact.

Organic cloves (that is, grown in clean places without harmful substances) can be bought at the IHerb online store.

How to store

Whole cloves should be stored in a cool, dark place in closed containers for many months. They can be ground using a "hand grinder" or in a coffee grinder as needed.

Store ground cloves in the refrigerator in jars with a tight-fitting lid and use as soon as possible, as they have a shorter shelf life and lose their flavor quickly.

What is the smell and taste of cloves seasoning

Both the flavor and aroma of this spice are incredibly intense. Cloves are able to overwhelm all other ingredients in dishes, even if taken in small quantities.

It has one of the most powerful aromas of all spices in the world. The taste is sharp, strong and sweet with a bitter, astringent aftertaste. Cloves also have a distinct pungency, and for some it is almost stinging. This spice is very strong! The pungency is concentrated mainly in the petioles of the bud. The most subtle aroma is in the hat.

The use of cloves leaves a sensation in the mouth, as after nutmeg. The combination of cloves and nutmeg in spice blends and in specific dishes is very popular as their flavors are similar and complement each other well.

Chemical composition

While cloves are commonly known for their mouth-watering flavor and aroma, they are also loaded with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that are essential for a healthy body.

Nutritional value of ground cloves (Sygizium aromaticum) per 100 g.

Name	Quantity	Percentage of the daily norm,%
The energy value	47 kcal	2
Carbohydrates	10.51 g	8
Squirrels	3.27 g	6
Fats	0.15 g	0,5
Dietary fiber (fiber)	5.4 g	14
folate	68 mcg	17
Niacin	1.046 mg	6,5
pantothenic acid	0.388 mg	7
Pyridoxine	0.116 mg	9
Riboflavin	0.066 mg	5
Thiamine	0.072 mg	6
Vitamin A	13 IU	0,5
Vitamin C	11.7 mg	20
Vitamin E	0.19 mg	1
Vitamin K	14.8 mcg	12
Sodium	94 mg	6
Potassium	370 mg	8
Calcium	44 mg	4
Copper	0.231 mg	27
Iron	1.28 mg	16
Magnesium	60 mg	15
Manganese	0.256 mg	11
Phosphorus	90 mg	13
Selenium	7.2 mcg	13
Zinc	2.32 mg	21
beta carotene	8 mcg	-
lutein-zeaxanthin	464 mcg	-

Physiological role

It is known that the active substances in cloves have such an effect on the body as:

antioxidant;
antiseptic;
local anesthetic;
anti-inflammatory;
soothing;
antimicrobial.

Health Benefits of Clove Spice

Back in 200 BC. Cloves were known for their health benefits and continue to be used today to treat disease and promote health.

The spice contains the health-promoting essential oil eugenol, which gives cloves a pleasant, sweet aroma. It has local anesthetic and antiseptic properties, therefore, it is useful for caring for teeth and oral cavity.

Other important constituents of this spice include:

essential oils - acetylevenol, β-caryophyllene and vanillin, butyric acid;
tannins: gallotannic acid, methyl salicylate (pain reliever);
flavonoids: eugenin, kaempferol, rhamnetin and eugenitin;
triterpenoids: oleanolic acid, stigmasterol and campesterol;
several sesquiterpenes.

The nutrients in cloves increase intestinal motility and digestion through improved gastrointestinal enzyme secretions. Thus, it helps eliminate digestive problems and constipation.

The spice also contains a large amount of minerals - potassium, manganese, iron, selenium and magnesium. Potassium is an important electrolyte in cells and body fluids that help control heart rate and blood pressure. The human body uses manganese as a cofactor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase.

The spice buds contain very good amounts of vitamin A and beta-carotene. These compounds have antioxidant properties. The body also needs vitamin A to maintain healthy mucous membranes, skin, and healthy vision. Consuming natural foods rich in flavonoids helps protect the body from lung and oral cancer.

Clove spice is a good source of vitamins K, B6 (pyridoxine), B-1 (thiamine), C and riboflavin. Consuming foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance to infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen free radicals.

Top 10 health benefits of cloves

Here are some popular medicinal properties that cloves have:

Improves digestion by stimulating the production of enzymes and the production of gastric juice. Cloves are also good for reducing flatulence, indigestion and nausea.
Effective against bacterial infections. Clove has been tested for its antibacterial properties against a number of human pathogens. It is powerful enough to kill these pathogens. Clove extract is also effective against specific bacteria that spread cholera.
Anticancer and antimutagenic action. Clove is of interest to the medical community due to its anti-carcinogenic properties. Tests have shown that they are useful in fighting lung cancer in its early stages.
Protects the liver. Cloves are high in antioxidants, which are ideal for protecting organs from free radical damage, especially the liver. Clove extracts are beneficial for the liver due to their hepatoprotective properties.
Useful for diabetes. In diabetic patients, the amount of insulin produced by the body is either insufficient or non-existent. Studies have shown that clove extracts mimic insulin in a certain way and help control blood sugar levels.
Maintains bone density. Cloves contain eugenol and its derivatives, such as flavones, isoflavones, and flavonoids. They are useful for maintaining bone density and mineral content, and for increasing the tensile strength of bones in cases of osteoporosis.
Boosts the immune system. Clove helps in improving the immune system by increasing the number of white blood cells, thereby improving delayed hypersensitivity.
Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Studies show that the presence of eugenol reduces inflammation caused by edema. It has also been confirmed to have the ability to reduce pain by stimulating pain receptors.
Treats diseases of the oral cavity. Cloves can be taken for gingivitis and periodontitis. Bud extracts significantly control the growth of pathogens that are responsible for various oral diseases. Cloves are also used for toothaches due to their pain-relieving properties.
Aphrodisiac properties. Spices such as cloves and nutmeg are said to have aphrodisiac properties and have shown positive results in tests.

In food and beverages, cloves are used as a flavoring agent, and in industry they are used to make toothpaste, soap, cosmetics, perfumes, and cigarettes. Clove oil is also used in aromatherapy.

Why chew dried cloves - video

Essential oil of clove

Clove oil is commonly used for oral health due to its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, which help to avoid bad breath and mouth problems.

It is also used as a skin care product and as an aromatherapy oil.

Clove essential oil must be diluted with base oil to avoid allergic reactions.

High-quality essential oil can be bought in the world-famous iHerb online store.

Contraindications (harm) of cloves

In addition to the powerful benefits of this spice, cloves also have some contraindications and possible side effects that can cause significant harm.

It is recommended that people who suffer from hemophilia or take anticoagulant medications avoid consuming too much cloves. It is also recommended to stop taking this spice a couple of weeks before surgery. It contains eugenol, which can slow down the clotting process, contributing to abnormal bleeding.
Those with blood sugar levels below normal should reduce their intake of cloves. It has been found that the spice can significantly reduce the amount of glucose, which will cause harm to patients with hypoglycemia. Therefore, try to closely monitor your blood sugar levels and adjust your clove intake accordingly.
The use of dishes prepared with a large amount of cloves can cause irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, disorders of the central nervous system.
Contraindicated in case of individual intolerance. Allergy is one of the common side effects of cloves, again caused by eugenol.
In men, cloves can cause erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation.
During pregnancy, the use of cloves is contraindicated, as it increases muscle tone and there is a risk of uterine contractions.
Do not apply clove oil to your skin before going out in direct sunlight, as this will cause severe burns and other skin problems.
Applying clove oil on damaged skin can cause severe allergic reactions and damage it even more.

Like all spices, cloves should be consumed in moderation. If you experience any of these side effects, stop using it.

The use of cloves in cooking

Cloves can be used whole or ground to flavor sauces, soups and rice dishes. There are many popular recipes that call for the addition of cloves.

Whole cloves are either removed before serving or discarded from the plate. Even after cooking, this spice has a very firm, woody texture.

Where to add seasoning cloves

Here are some ideas:

In gravies and sauces for fish, poultry, meat.
It goes well with apples - it is added to apple sauce, pies or other pastries with apples.
Ground cloves are put in muffins, cookies, gingerbread and other spices.
Goes for the preparation of marinades (mushroom, fruit and berry, meat, vegetable).
Masala chai gets most of its characteristic flavor from cloves.
Cloves go well with meat, liver pate, jelly and aspic tongue.
Cucumbers, cabbage, mushrooms, peppers, pumpkin, carrots, beets and others are pickled with it.
Sausages, baked pork are flavored with a mixture of grated cloves with nutmeg, marjoram.
It is added to coffee, cocoa, compotes, jam.

When to put cloves in a dish

Cloves are added to various dishes at different times:

in marinades - in the process of their preparation together with other components;
in dough and minced meat - before heat treatment;
in meat dishes - 10-15 minutes before readiness;
in broths, soups, compotes - 3-5 minutes before the end of cooking.

Cloves should not be put at the beginning of the cooking process in dishes that require long-term cooking. This spice conveys its aroma and taste well not only in hot, but also in cold water, moreover, it turns it brown. When boiled, its smell begins to disappear, and the taste of the dish becomes bitter. That is why the more subtle the aroma of cloves is desired in the dish, the later it is added.

Be careful with the dosage of cloves, especially when preparing confectionery.

How much to add cloves: bookmark rates

For 1 kilogram of dough, you can add about 4-5 pieces of cloves. If it includes other spices, in their composition it can be from 1/5 to 1/7 of the part.

For 1 kg of cottage cheese - 2-3 ground or 4-5 cloves.

For 2-2.5 cups of liquid (compotes, soups, broths) - 1 pc., No more than 3 pcs. per 1 liter.
For 1 serving of meat - 2 pieces, and when frying, the cloves are used in ground form, and when stewing as a whole. If other spices are added at the same time, the rate of cloves is halved.

In mushroom marinades - 1-2 grams per 10 kg of mushrooms.

In fruit and berry and vegetable marinades - 3-4 grams per 10 liters of filling.

When used in the right amount, cloves can elevate your dishes to a new level of culinary excellence!

How to replace cloves in a recipe

Cloves are a fairly common and affordable spice that most cooks have in stock, however, when it suddenly runs out, there are options for replacing it.

For example, an excellent substitute for cloves can be:

Nutmeg is the best option of all the possible substitutes for cloves. It is just as fragrant with a wonderful and unique taste, which is very similar to cloves. Add as much nutmeg as the recipe calls for. It is ideal for all kinds of dishes, both sweet and savory.
Allspice is also a worthy replacement for cloves. To use this substitute, simply add it in the same amount. This spice has a unique taste, and it has notes of black pepper that may be undesirable, for example, in sweets.
Cinnamon is more spicy and less sweet than other possible clove substitutes, so depending on what dish you're making, you may need to add another ingredient to create the right flavor. For example, in desserts, cinnamon pairs well with vanilla. Again, the amount of cinnamon (or cinnamon plus vanilla) should be equal to the amount of cloves the recipe calls for.

In addition to its strong aroma and memorable taste, clove spice is renowned for its powerful medicinal properties. Here you learned about some contraindications for eating and everything about its culinary use.

Do you want to treat yourself and your loved ones to the taste of a new dish? To do this, it’s not at all necessary to learn how to cook complex dishes, just ... add a fragrant spice or seasoning to a well-known one (for example), and you will be surprised to find that a familiar dish has acquired a completely new taste, aroma, and in some cases even a new color . We have already written about the benefits and dangers of spices on our website - you can refresh your memory. And, today we want to invite you to talk about the properties and benefits of such a spice as cloves.

How cloves are used in cooking, and where else can you find a use for it- We have to find out about this.

Description of clove spice

The carnation belongs to the myrtle family, and is an evergreen tropical plant that can reach a height of 10-12 meters, while this tree has a beautiful pyramidal top. The leaves are arranged oppositely, on their surface you can see noticeable bright points, the very shape of the leaves is wide lanceolate, entire, the color of the leaves is dark green, they are shiny and leathery. Light dots on the surface of the leaves are essential oil receptacles. Inflorescences in the form of complex semi-umbels, apical, and the flowers consist of a cylindrical bright red receptacle, which has 4 red small sepals at the top, a 4-petal corolla of pale pink color, which falls off when the flower blooms. The flower has many stamens, but the ovary is lower.

The fruits of the clove tree are ovoid false berries that contain seeds rich in starch content.

As a rule, the clove tree is cultivated in tropical countries.

Characteristics of cloves as spices

If you throw a clove spice into water, it should either float vertically, head up, or sink. If you see that it floats horizontally, then its quality leaves much to be desired and there is not so much oil in it. By the way, there is less eugenol in the cap of cloves, but there are more other aromatic substances.

The smell of the clove petiole is sharp and strong, but the aroma of the hat is complex and subtle. At the same time, there are few substances in the hat that can add bitterness to your dishes. That's why, clove caps are used in sweet dishes, but petioles are placed in marinades and meat dishes.

Another sign of the quality of a clove is its elasticity. It should not bend, even when dry, and if you press the paper on it, it should leave an oily trail behind.

History of the discovery of the spice clove

For the first time, people learned about cloves as a spice in ancient times. So, in China, the Middle East, Egypt and India, cloves were added not only to dishes as a fragrant spice, but also used as a medicine, and also ... as a deodorant. So,

Chinese emperors ordered their subjects, before they could appear before their eyes, to chew a clove bud, and during the imperial audience itself, keep it in their mouths.

And, here in ancient Egypt, carnation buds were woven into necklaces for the dead. This spice was highly valued both in Rome and in Greece.

Today, when we talk about cloves as a spice, we mean the fragrant dried flower buds of the evergreen clove tree, which are very pungent in taste and in their shape resemble small carnations (hence the name), 1-1.5 centimeters long. The cap of such a “carnation” is formed by a cup ... By the way,

it is the shape of the buds that gave the name to this spice.

The Moluccas are considered to be the birthplace of cloves, from there this plant spread literally throughout the world, where there were favorable climatic conditions for it. And, although the clove tree can be seen today in many countries, the island of Pembe is considered the leader in the production of this spice - up to 4 million clove trees grow there. In order for you to understand how much it is - imagine that the air of the island is so saturated with the aroma of cloves that even if you pour clean water into a glass, after a few minutes it will taste like cloves ...

Composition of spice cloves

The buds of the clove tree contain up to 20% essential oil, up to 20% tannins, there are also mucus and fats. And, here is the main component - up to 85% of this oil is efgenol. In turn, the composition of eugenol includes mixtures of bicyclic sesquiterpenes, caryophyllens, acetyleusgenol ... In the essential oil of fruits, one can also detect the content of eugenol, however, it is contained there less than, for example, in tree buds.

Uses of clove spice

Using cloves as a spice in cooking

As a rule, cloves are added to marinades for meat, vegetable, fruit and berry and mushroom dishes. And, here with a carnation it is combined not too successfully. By adding this spice, you can also prepare seasonings and sauces, while cloves will not only enrich their taste, but also act as a natural preservative. Also, cloves go well with cabbage dishes (learn about), you can add it to cold appetizers, meat broths, cook cereals with it (check out), soups and pilaf. It pairs well with ground black pepper.

It is noteworthy that cloves can also be added to sweet dishes - to compotes, puddings, and other confectionery. At the same time, it is able to transfer its aroma not only to hot, but also to cold dishes. So, even being thrown into cold water, a carnation can turn it brown. However, boiling the spice is not worth it, by doing this you will deprive it of its aroma, and your dish of a piquant taste, instead of which an unpleasant bitterness will appear, which can spoil the taste of your drink, or the second or first course on your menu.

When to add cloves to dishes

It is recommended to put cloves in marinades during their preparation, if you add cloves to minced meat or to dough - before cooking, if you add spices to meat - 15 minutes before it is ready, as for liquid dishes, such as broths, soups and even compotes, it is better to add cloves 3-5 minutes before the final readiness. This will preserve the taste and aroma, and do not spoil your dish.

And, here we would not recommend adding cloves to those dishes that will have a long heat treatment or early laying of spices. As experience shows, the final taste of your dish may not be very pleasant from this.

How much to put cloves

As for the amount of such a spice, most of all cloves are put in the marinade, in mushroom - 1-2 grams per 10 kilograms of mushrooms, in fruit and vegetable marinades - 3-4 grams per 10 liters of filling is enough. Since other spices are also included in the marinade, you can combine the combination of cloves and its amount yourself. As for adding cloves to the dough, you can lay up to 5 buds of cloves per 1 kilogram of products, subject to the presence of other spices and spices. Wherein,

it is important to adhere to the ratio in which part of the cloves will be 1/5 of the total part of all spices.

In cottage cheese dishes, you can add 2-3 ground clove buds, or 4 caps per 1 kilogram of cottage cheese, in liquid dishes you can put 1 kidney per 3 cups of liquid.

When cooking meat, you can use 2 buds of a clove tree for 1 serving, while during frying, it is better to add cloves in ground form, and when stewing, it is better to add them as a whole. If there are other spices and seasonings in the dish, the content of cloves should be reduced.

You should not combine large doses of cloves with wine, and alcohol-containing products. Since the bitter fractions of cloves dissolve much more strongly in them, which give the characteristic bitterness to the drink and the dish.

Clove spice where it grows

The birthplace of the spice cloves is the Moluccas, Southeast Asia. For a very long time, cloves were collected only there. The Portuguese, the Dutch did not export the seeds of the clove tree. The first happy owners of clove seeds were the French, and gradually plantations for growing spices appeared in tropical Asia, on the islands of Mauritius and Regnon. Now grown in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Guinea, Brazil.

What does a clove spice plant look like

The tree has leathery ovate leaves up to 15 cm long. They are located oppositely and if you look at the clearance, specks are clearly visible. The tree blooms twice a year with yellowish white flowers in umbels. The crown is pyramidal in young trees, then gradually descends. The tree will be ready to collect spices only after 20 years, but then it will bear fruit until about 50 years.

The composition of the spice cloves

tannins;
essential clove oil;
vitamins PP, C, A, group B;
calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, iron;
fatty acids and many other important substances for the body.

spice cloves application

eliminates noise in the ears;
backed by scientific research - cloves are an antioxidant;
used as an aromatic, appetite-enhancing, digestive aid;
improves eyesight, cures thorns;
infusion of clove buds - destroys ascaris, eliminates worms, instantly removes mold spores;
strengthens, warms the stomach, relieves heartburn and vomiting. It has been used more than once for food poisoning;
clove spice helps to get rid of bloating, relieves abdominal pain;
treats diarrhea;
strengthens the heart, heals the liver;
increases sexual potency;
improves the menstrual cycle, stabilizes the tone of the uterus;
clove spice is useful - colds, wet cough, chronic asthma;
soothes, useful in obsessive states, fears, suspiciousness;
treats a headache of a cold origin,
clove spice helps - paralysis, neuralgia, bruises;
strengthens the gums, facilitates the course of periodontal disease, refreshes the mouth;
relieves pain - arthritis, various injuries, osteochondrosis;
clove spice is used - to improve overall well-being, mood;
useful for cancer patients, with multiple sclerosis;
recommend - senile weakness, memory loss, changes in the psyche;
the best aphrodisiac - taken for impotence, infertility;
relieves mental and physical fatigue;
relieves pain, has an antibacterial effect, heals wounds well.

spice clove treatment

Clove Spice Oil: 100g olive oil, a tablespoon of clove spice. Bring to a boil over low heat, do not boil. Leave until cool, then filter. Keep a refrigerator.

Hypertension:40 buds, 4 cups of water. Boil down a very weak fire until 0.5 liters remain. Consume in the morning on an empty stomach, twice before meals during the day. It helps well, the composition perfectly normalizes pressure, but it takes a long time to be treated from a year to two. The broth does not deteriorate for a long time, you can cook for several days, store in the refrigerator.

Rheumatism, arthritis, neuralgic pains, osteochondrosis, colds, bronchitis: clove essential oil 3-5 drops per bath.

Colds, bronchitis, neuralgia: inhalation with clove oil - one, two drops per glass.

Clove spice for toothache: apply a cotton swab with oil to the tooth. If a tooth aches, bite the inflorescence of cloves and attach to the aching tooth or powdered cloves to cover the problem area.

Obesity:tea with clove spice - reduces the feeling of hunger, at the same time warms from the inside, speeds up metabolism, removes excess fluid from the body.

Diabetes: 20 buds, a glass of boiling water. Leave overnight, then filter. Divided into 4 doses and drink per day.

Cold:clove bud powder, a glass of boiled milk. Slowly drink the hot composition after 7 minutes.

Headache, migraine attack: powders of cloves, spices, almonds, cinnamon, taken equally, are mixed. Add some hot water. Rub the whiskey with the resulting slurry.

Respiratory diseases: a pinch of cloves, a quarter teaspoon of sea salt are added to a glass of warm water. Gargle to reduce inflammation.

Pimples, acne : 4 drops of clove essential oil are added to a tablespoon of ordinary vegetable oil. The drug is applied to the inflamed areas. The same remedy helps with abscesses, boils.

How to improve digestion: rub with a teaspoon of honey spice cloves, black pepper. Eat the mixture shortly before meals

Spice clove in cooking

It is important not for vitamins, but for its biochemical properties. Any use of clove spice is good for the body. It is added to the dough and minced meat before cooking, to meat dishes a quarter of an hour before the end, broth, soup - 5 minutes before readiness.

Marinades, jam - they put spice all over Europe. Pairs especially well with red cabbage. Often added to apple, pear and plum compotes, jams.

Meat- clove spice is combined with meat, pates, jelly and aspic. A mixture of cloves and nutmeg flavors sausage, baked pork. Add to meat soups, suitable for any meat and poultry, for hot mushroom soup.

spice clove drinks - gives a unique flavor to grog, punch, mulled wine, coffee, sbitnya. An interesting combination of cloves with oranges is used in the preparation of strong drinks. If added to fried pork towards the end of cooking, it will acquire a peculiar aroma.

Who is contraindicated spice cloves: irritates the mucous membrane of the stomach, intestines. Therefore, it is not advisable to use spices for gastritis, stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers.

It should also be borne in mind that the spice of cloves increases muscle tone, which means it is contraindicated for pregnant women.

In addition, it can increase blood pressure, but this is individual. When using more than 1 g of clove oil per day, poisoning may occur, at higher doses, a disorder of the nervous system and psyche.

Useful properties and contraindications of cloves are described in traditional medicine treatises in Asia and the Middle East. In many modern European countries, the plant is considered pharmacopoeial, i.e. officially recognized as medicinal. Clove is a source of valuable essential oil, which has analgesic, antimicrobial and many other medicinal properties.

Clove seasoning is the unopened buds of the clove tree, dried in the sun. They are harvested twice a year, dried to a certain condition. A quality spice should be oily, leave a mark on paper and sink in water.

The main healing power of cloves lies in the essential oil.

It consists of 70-95% of the volatile substance eugenol. A smaller proportion falls on caryophyllene, furfural, methyl benzoate. The seasoning contains vitamins: A, B1, B2, nicotinic and ascorbic acids. The ash contains minerals: calcium, sodium, iron, phosphorus.

Essential oils protect plants from harmful bacteria, fungal rot. Fumigating the room helps to get rid of unwanted insects. Products from volatile compounds find applications in medicine.

Cloves are used as:

painkiller;
antiseptic;
wound healing;
stimulating the nervous system;
pressure booster;
stimulating appetite;
normalizing digestion;
reinforcing uterine contractions during contractions;
antitumor;
anthelmintic.

Cloves are taken orally. Teas insist on seasoning. Oil drops are added to drinks. For external use, infusions and extracts are dissolved in bath water. Compresses are made from decoctions. Clove essential oil is used for massages and rubbing.

When applied to the skin, seasoning agents irritate external receptors. As a result of local action, blood circulation and lymph movement increase. The severity of inflammation decreases, pain is suppressed. Clove rubbing is effective for arthrosis, arthritis, sprains, neuralgia, rheumatism.

The antiseptic effect of products based on clove oil is used in the treatment of skin diseases and erosive lesions of the mucous membranes. Eugenol prevents the spread of infection to healthy areas, kills pathogenic bacteria, promotes the healing of small wounds. It treats rashes of a different nature: herpes, furunculosis, acne.

With bad breath, stomatitis, gingivitis, periodontal disease, irrigation is carried out. During colds, cloves rinse the throat, wash the nose.

The spice is used in aromatherapy as a tonic. It improves brain function, increases blood pressure, increases efficiency. Acts as an aphrodisiac - stimulates sexual desire.

Drops and infusions heal wounds of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines. Normalize appetite and work of the entire gastrointestinal tract.

Means from cloves tone the uterine muscles, straighten the menstrual cycle. Strengthen attempts and promote delivery.

Recently, it turned out that the seasoning has antitumor properties and is able to restrain the development of cancer.

Application of cloves:

Clove spice for headaches

Clove is both tonic and relaxing. It strengthens the vessels of the brain, stimulates the heart, increases blood pressure. Clove oil is effective for headaches associated with impaired cerebral circulation or a drop in blood pressure.

It is necessary to grind 5 g of seasoning. Mix the powder with a few drops of camphor alcohol. Stir to a paste-like state and apply the gruel to the whiskey. Inhalation of essential oil vapors also helps with pain.

Use in dentistry

Clove oil is a strong antiseptic and analgesic. Due to these properties, it has found applications in therapeutic dentistry and prosthetics. The agent is added to hardening materials for the manufacture of temporary fillings, partitions, impressions and other orthodontic structures.

Clove oil promotes the rapid healing of damaged tissues, prevents the development of infections, has a local sedative effect and relieves toothache. At home, to suppress discomfort, you need to lubricate the gum with a cotton swab dipped in diluted clove oil. The seasoning essence is diluted with any cosmetic or edible vegetable fat in a ratio of 1: 3, where a smaller proportion is cloves.

Clove-spice in gynecology

Cloves are good for women's health. The spice improves uterine contractility. Helps regulate the menstrual cycle. Reduces the severity of unpleasant symptoms during painful periods, premenstrual syndrome, menopause.

It is used in gynecological diseases as a hemostatic agent. Enhances labor activity.

To increase the tone of the uterus, an herbal infusion is prepared. A spoonful of seasoning is poured with a glass of boiling water and insisted for 2 hours. The prepared drink is consumed before meals three times a day for a tablespoon. The duration of treatment depends on the state of health of the woman.

In cosmetology

Diluted essential oil is used for face and neck skin care. 3-5 drops are dissolved in 10 ml of any cosmetic product. You can dilute cloves in other oils intended for external use: peach, sesame, jojoba, etc.

The prepared product is applied with massage movements to aging skin. After light strokes, it is washed off with warm water.

For the treatment of acne, redness and other skin defects, the problem area is smeared with undiluted clove oil. It has an antiseptic and drying effect. During the procedure, try not to hurt healthy skin.

In combination with burdock oil, the aromatic essence of clove enhances the nutrition of the hair roots. It can be used as a firming and healing agent.

The mask is prepared on the basis of burdock oil. A few drops of clove ether are added to it. The tool is rubbed into the roots. The scalp is warmed with a towel for 20-30 minutes. After the procedure, the hair is washed with regular shampoo. Actions must be repeated regularly 1-2 times a week for a month.

In cooking

Cloves are a popular spice with a spicy, sweet flavor that pairs well with most dishes. Mainly used in marinades. It is used in the preparation of meat, poultry, fish, minced meat, broths, soups and confectionery.

The bitterness of the clove is hidden in the stem, and the sweetness is in the cap. For the manufacture of confectionery, it is recommended to use the top part of the spice in combination with cinnamon.

The longer a clove is cooked at high temperatures, the more bitterness it imparts to the dish.

Therefore, to obtain a subtle aroma, it must be laid as close as possible to the time of preparation.

The infusion is prepared in boiling water. A small portion of cloves (half a teaspoon of buds) is poured into a glass. The mixture is infused for an hour.

The infusion is taken orally half a teaspoon three times a day before meals. Duration of admission is determined by the doctor. You can gargle with a strained solution, rinse your nose up to three times a day. With the same regularity, lotions are applied to the skin during the treatment of a rash.

Alcohol tincture clove buds are used to prepare compresses in the fight against rheumatism, neuralgia, joint pain. 25 buds with a glass of vodka are infused for a week in a dark place.

The resulting product is used as an anesthetic. They lubricate disturbing places. The skin is insulated with insulating material. Withstand the compress for 30 minutes - 1 hour.

Clove tea and its health benefits

Clove tea has general strengthening properties. It is good for hypotension patients. Helps maintain blood pressure in the normal range.

Stimulates mental abilities. Improves the perception of information by the brain.

Tea is used as an invigorating remedy for chronic emotional fatigue and decreased performance. 1-2 spice buds are added to a glass of hot drink. After 2-3 minutes, it is pulled out.

The bitterness of spices is removed with honey and lemon. Tea can be consumed a cup a day as a tonic for the prevention of SARS.

How to prepare and use clove essential oil?

Clove oil is obtained by chemical extraction or water distillation. It is pulled from different parts of the plant: shoots, leaves, buds and buds.

At home, you can prepare a medicine from ordinary seasoning and any cosmetic oil, such as sesame oil. 5 spice buds are placed on a tablespoon of the liquid base. The oil is heated in a water bath for an hour. Let it cool completely. The cloves are not removed.

Cold compresses are prepared with oil. Dissolve a few drops of the product in a glass of water. The tissue is moistened and applied to the projection of the diseased organ. Hold up to 20 minutes.

Mixed with cosmetic oil in the proportion of 3 drops per tablespoon of base. With the use of the product, a massage is done to relieve pain in arthritis, neuralgia, osteochondrosis, rheumatism. Rub the chest with bronchitis. Rub the skin with frostbite.

For bathing, add 6-7 drops of a concentrated product. Water procedures increase muscle tone, help to gain good spirits and consciousness.

Contraindications for oral use

The spice is a strong stimulant, so it is best not to give it to children under 2 years of age. Women in position until the very end of their pregnancy should refrain from any means prepared on the basis of cloves. Seasoning has abortive properties and can provoke undesirable consequences.

It is contraindicated for hypertensive patients to use infusions and drinks with the use of cloves, as it raises blood pressure. Individual intolerance is also a contraindication for people with high susceptibility.

The medicinal properties of cloves have been scientifically proven. The seasoning is included in the list of medicinal plants in many countries of Europe and Asia. The fragrant spice is actively used in folk medicine and helps to heal the body both from the outside and from the inside.