Sunday, November 2, 2014

Cloves

Clove, Syzugium Aromaticum, is a spice and an herb that historically grew on trees in the Spice Islands near Indonesia. Cloves are now grown all over the world.  The clove comes from the dried flower bud of the clove tree. Cloves are used extensively in cooking and are also used for medicinal remedies. The name clove came from the French word clov, which means nail. This is because a clove resembles a nail.

Cloves used for medicinal purposes are perhaps best known for relieving the pain of a toothache if you are unable to get to a dentist right away. Cloves can be used for acne and other skin conditions. Clove tea is used for bloating and gas as well as nausea and diarrhea. They relax the muscle lining of the stomach bringing relief to acid reflux.




Cloves can help relieve colds by assisting in sweating for folks with fevers, sore throats and flu. They are also used for whooping cough. Cloves are good for mouth ulcers and sore gums. A gargle made from cloves can be used for a sore throat. They relieve nausea, vomiting and flatulence. Clove oil can be applied to the skin for cuts and scrapes.

There are some things to watch out for. Children should not take clove oil as it can cause serious health problems like seizures and liver damage. Inhaling the smoke from clove cigarettes is not safe and can cause breathing problems and lung infections. It is unsafe to inject clove oil into the veins and pregnant and nursing women should not use cloves as a medicine, though normal amounts in foods are fine. Don't take cloves if you are on blood thinners, or for 2 weeks before surgery. Some people are allergic to cloves. Talk it over with your doctor and be careful about giving small children a clove to suck on. It can be a choking hazard.

Clove tea is as simple as 1 teaspoon of crushed cloves in a tea bag or infuser and 1 cup of boiling water. Put the infuser or tea bag in a cup and add the water. Let it steep covered for 8 to 10 minutes. You can use milk and sweetener as desired. Cloves are often used in Chai teas.

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Valerie Lull
Author
Ten Healthy Teas
Lullval@clearwire.net



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