From Digestion to Pain Relief: Try These Home Remedies Using Clove
Wednesday, April 3, 2019 IST
Few spices can claim to be as versatile as the clove (laung), having several uses in food, medicine, beauty and at home. With a symmetric appearance and intense aroma, this is one spice that everyone in the world is familiar with.
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The characteristic smell and flavour is due to the chemical named eugenol. The flavour is so intense that a small quantity of the spice can offer a large impact. Cloves are actually flower buds, and other parts of the plant are also used in various ways.
Due to their easy availability, cloves are widely used in cuisines across the world, particularly South East Asian, Middle Eastern, African and South American countries. Besides cooking, the strong aroma of this spice makes it a common ingredient in insect repellents and in aromatherapy.
Cloves are also used in the manufacture of perfumes, soaps, and toothpaste. It is also an important part of traditional medicine like Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, Thai and Kampo medicine, due to its various health benefits.
Health Benefits of Clove
1. Soothes Digestive Troubles
Cloves contain compounds that help to relax the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, which provides relief from common digestive troubles like vomiting, diarrhoea, flatulence and stomach aches.
2. Prevents Stomach Ulcers
Cloves are known to increase the production of gastric mucus, which protects the stomach by acting as a barrier. This barrier prevents the deterioration of the stomach lining which can end up causing painful ulcers.
3. Improves Oral Health
Cloves are well known for their dental benefits and this is one of their main roles in all forms of traditional medicine. Many major toothpaste brands include cloves as their main ingredient.
Unlike commercial mouthwashes that kill all bacteria in the mouth, cloves attack disease-causing bacteria, while leaving the good bacteria unaffected promoting a balanced oral biome.
4. Relieves Cough
The eugenol in cloves also helps in soothing symptoms of respiratory distress. Brewed into tea, cloves act as an expectorant, drawing up phlegm from the chest. Massaging clove oil also relieves congestion and opens up the breathing passages.
5. Offers Pain Relief
Eugenol, the main ingredient in cloves, is quite effective in relieving all kinds of pain.
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