SMELL NAIL: Properties, What it is for and Contraindications

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Clove is one of those spices that is not usually lacking in our kitchens. Although it is highly valued for its aromatic properties, it is also used in traditional natural medicine. This is already presented in our homes as the dried buds of the flowers of the clove tree or Syzygium aromaticum. It is a native plant of Indonesia, but it has also spread to other continents, such as Brazil or India.

As it is a highly valued spice for our health, in this Green Ecologist article we want to teach you everything you need to know about cloves to get the most out of it. Here we always bet on improving our knowledge not only about the environment that surrounds us, but also to teach that we can resort to what Mother Earth offers us for our benefit. Thus, to know the properties of cloves, what it is for, its contraindications And even how to take it to benefit yourself, keep reading this interesting article.

Cloves: properties

In the composition of this plant there are a variety of very beneficial active principles for our health. These are the main components o active ingredients of odor bald.

• Eugenol.
• Flavonoids.
• Magnesium.
• Potassium.
• Calcium.
• Iron.
• Match.
• Sodium.
• Zinc.
• Vitamin A or retinol.
• Vitamin B1 or thiamine.
• Vitamin B2 or riboflavin.
• Vitamin B3 or niacin.
• Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine.
• Vitamin C or ascorbic acid.
• Vitamin E or tocopherol.
• Vitamin K1 or phylloquinone.
• Omega 3.

This composition allows the following to be the properties of cloves for our health:

• Antioxidant
• Blood stimulant.
• Antifungal.
• Antibacterial
• Antimicrobial.
• Mild anesthetic.
• Analgesic.
• Anti-inflammatory.
• Aphrodisiac.
• Hypoglycemic.

What is cloves for - benefits and uses

Now that you know the properties of cloves, let's talk about what it directly contributes to our health. What is clove for? Well, for a variety of aspects, both to prevent some problems and to help treat others. Here we indicate the main benefits of cloves and their uses:

• Because it contains eugenol, cloves are sometimes used to improve blood clotting and to prevent or prevent cardiovascular problems.
• The fact that it contains flavonoids, among other relevant active ingredients, makes cloves also work as an anti-inflammatory, which is why it is used to reduce inflammation due to blows, as well as other problems. To do this, it is applied externally, as an essential oil, or its infusion is taken.
• Taking it also helps lower blood sugar, so it is good to regulate this aspect, but diabetics should be careful not to take it frequently or be very aware of it when taking insulin.
• To cure athlete's foot or other fungal problems and prevent the appearance of foot fungus.
• It stimulates the circulation of the feet and legs, which is why its essential oil is used in massages to reduce the symptom of tired legs and feet.
• It is used to relieve symptoms caused by gastroenteritis or diarrhea.
• It helps to heal and prevent bacterial infections, which is why its oil is used in some types of wounds and its infusion is taken for internal infection problems, such as intestinal infections, whether bacterial or fungal, such as intestinal candidiasis.
• Considerably relieves severe headaches.
• It is used for oral discomfort but, above all, cloves are used for toothache.
• It is also used to relieve pain caused by labor contractions. Many traditional midwives or doulas massage a woman's abdomen with clove oil.
• It is used to relieve earaches, as it is anti-inflammatory and analgesic. In this case, it is best to apply a little of the oil with a thin cloth or gauze or prepare it as we will explain later.
• Another benefit of cloves is to use it to aid in weight loss.
• Cloves can also be used to counteract motion sickness or altitude sickness.

How to take cloves

Here are some of the ways to take cloves or to use it, depending on what we want it to take effect for:

• For gastroenteritisMake a clove tea or infusion. Add 2 to 3 cloves to a saucepan of boiling water and let them steep for at least 10 minutes.
• Poultice for headache: To use it, you will only have to prepare a paste with a base of salt crystals or coarse salt, cloves and a little water, although you can add more plants that help relieve headaches, such as lavender. This should be applied with gauze on the forehead and temples.
• Clove for toothache: Make a mixture that contains a quarter of olive oil and to which is added a drop of clove oil. You will not need more than to apply it on the area with discomfort, if possible with a cotton ball, and in a short time you will notice the results. You can also make a paste with a well-ground clove, some olive oil or water and place it on the affected area with gauze.
• Earache: here you have to sauté a clove and use a tablespoon of sesame oil. Mix well until a homogeneous mixture is left and we let it heat up a little. Then you will only have to apply a couple of drops in the ear, no more than three times a day.
• Cloves for weight loss: For this you will need 50 g of cloves, 50 g of cinnamon, 50 g of cayenne pepper and 50 g of cumin seeds. With all this you must prepare an infusion with water and let it rest for about 20 minutes once it has started to boil. Take a cup of this drink on an empty stomach every day to facilitate and activate the metabolism. This is undoubtedly a natural way to shed a few extra pounds, as long as you lead a healthy lifestyle.
• For dizziness: For these cases, you just have to prepare an infusion of cloves in a liter of water to be able to dispose of it comfortably during the journey.

Cloves: contraindications

There are some cases where there are odor bald contraindications.

• It should not be used if you have a gastric ulcer.
• If you know that you have an allergy to any of the components of this plant.
• Diabetics without indication and medical follow-up.
• It should also not be taken by people under treatment with anticoagulants without prior medical consultation.
• Its use is not recommended in children under three years of age.
• Its consumption is not recommended to pregnant women or during lactation.
• Medical professionals do not recommend its use if some kind of medical intervention is in sight. Clove oil contains eugenol that creates a slowing effect on the blood clotting process, something that could lead to increased bleeding during the operation.

In this Green Ecologist post that we link here, you will be able to discover more about the Types of aromatic and medicinal plants and, if you are going to use clove essential oil, we recommend that you read What are essential oils.

If you want to read more articles similar to Clove: properties, what it is for and contraindications, we recommend that you enter our category of natural remedies.

• Jirovetz, L., Buchbauer, G., Stoilova, I., Stoyanova, A., Krastanov, A., & Schmidt, E. (2006). Chemical composition and antioxidant properties of clove leaf essential oil. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 54(17), 6303-6307.
• Caballero, C. A., Villacorta, L. M., & Vásquez, C. P. (2016). Effect of essential oil of clove (Syzygium aromaticum), cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) and its combination on the antifungal action in Aspergillus flavus in corn chicha agar (Zea mays L.), purple variety. Continent people, 22(1), 123-132.