Cloves: Benefits and Information

What Are the Medicinal Properties of Cloves?

Cloves, known as Ding Xiang in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), are highly esteemed for their warming and stimulating properties. These aromatic flower buds, originating from Indonesia, are not only a popular spice in cooking but also a potent medicinal herb. In TCM, cloves are primarily used to invigorate kidney yang energy, which is crucial for maintaining warmth and vitality throughout the body. Their pungent and warm nature makes them effective in dispersing cold and promoting the flow of qi, particularly in the stomach and spleen. This makes cloves a versatile remedy for digestive issues, such as nausea, abdominal pain caused by cold, hiccups, and vomiting.

Beyond their traditional use in Chinese medicine, cloves are recognized for their broad spectrum of health benefits due to their rich content of bioactive compounds, particularly phenolic compounds. These compounds have been found to possess potent antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects. Research has shown that cloves can alleviate pain, promote healthy blood sugar levels, ease toothache pain, support stomach and liver health, fight bacterial infections, benefit bone health, support upper respiratory health, and may even enhance sexual health.

Cloves can be utilized in various forms to harness their medicinal properties. They can be made into a tea, decoction, tincture, or compress depending on the intended use. Clove powder is also ideal for creating fresh, filler-free capsules. Both whole cloves and clove powder can be incorporated into beverages and recipes to add flavor and boost health benefits. Additionally, whole cloves are often used in craft projects, such as holiday decorations, orange pomanders, and potpourri, highlighting their versatility beyond the kitchen and medicine cabinet.

Shop Cloves Forms and Sizes of Bulk Herb Below

Common Names: Cloves, Clove Flower Buds, Clove Buds, Eugenia Caryophyllata Flower Bud
Botanical Name:  Syzgium aromaticum
Chinese / Pin Yin Name:  Ding Xiang
Cloves Dosage:  Consult your healthcare provider for your correct dose.
Cloves Precautions:  Do not use if pregnant or nursing. Do not use with anticoagulant drugs.

Cloves Herbal Category:  Herbs that Warm the Interior and Expel Cold
Cloves Properties: Acrid, warm
Cloves Channels / Meridians: Kidney, Spleen, Stomach
Cloves Naturally Occurring Components:   Eugenol, caryophyllene, eugenin, eugenitin, isoeugenitin, isoeugenitol, eugenilin, oleanolic acid, rhamnetin kaempherol, eugenol acetate, gallic acid, flavonoids, hidroxibenzoic acids, hidroxicinamic acids, hidroxiphenyl propens

Herbs That Combine With Cloves

Bai Zhu     Sha Ren     Corydalis Rhizome

References
https://tcmwiki.com/wiki/ding-xiang
http://alternativehealing.org/ding_xiang.htm
https://www.americandragon.com/Individualherbsupdate/DingXiang.html
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-cloves#6.-May-help-regulate-blood-sugar 
https://draxe.com/nutrition/cloves-benefits/  
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3819475/