Many benefits are attributed to clove. However, in this article, we’ll tell the clove benefits for men. Keep reading to learn more.
The spice ‘clove’
Clove is an aromatic spice used to season meats and add flavour to beverages and baked goodies like cakes. It is commonly used in Indian cuisines and is an ingredient of a mix of several powdered aromatic spices.
Cloves are the dried flower buds of the clove tree with the botanical name Syzygium aromaticum. Its origin can be traced back to the spice islands of china. Cloves have been used since ancient days in cooking and as a potent natural remedy for many ailments.
Composition
Cloves contain small amounts of protein, negligible amounts of sugar, fat and carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins K, B, C, E, potassium. It also has pigment carotene, and plant compounds, chiefly eugenol, which is a powerful antioxidant.
Clove Benefits for Men
1. Aids Weight Loss
Cloves are low in calories and improve metabolism as well. All of these benefits further aid in weight loss. Moreover, it increases body temperature, boosts blood circulation, and provides energy.
2. Rich in Anti-oxidants
Cloves contain pigment carotene that is a powerful antioxidant, and it can also convert to vitamin which is essential for eye health. They possess antibacterial, antifungal, antispasmodic carminative, and anthelmintic properties too. It has anti-inflammatory properties which protect your body from chronic diseases such as arthritis.
Furthermore, they are rich in antioxidants that protect your cells from free radical damage, thereby lowering your risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. Antioxidants also boost immunity and keep your hair and skin healthy.
3. Digestive System Uses
Cloves help both prevent and heal gastric ulcers by thickening the mucus that protects the stomach lining. They also stimulate the secretion of digestive enzymes, which help in the digestion of food. Cloves help treat digestive issues like gas, nausea, dyspepsia, and gastric discomfort. Cloves are rich in dietary fibre, which keeps your digestion smooth.
4. Good for Oral Health
Cloves and clove oil help relieve toothache, tooth decay, gum issues, and mouth ulcers as they have germicidal and anaesthetic properties. You can use it to freshen breath instantly and in mouth rinses.
5. Respiratory Uses
They help loosen phlegm and act as an expectorant, thus keeping your respiratory passages free of conditions like asthma and bronchitis.
6. Rich in Minerals
The manganese content in cloves maintains the function of enzymes that produce hormones, boosts brain function, and increases bone strength. Potassium helps maintain blood pressure levels, while vitamin K facilitates the normal blood clotting process.
7. Other Benefits
They also help relieve stress and anxiety. They increase insulin sensitivity and help maintain blood sugar levels. It boosts liver health and helps treat fatty liver and liver cirrhosis.
8. Beneficial for Men
Apart from these benefits, clove has some special properties which are beneficial for men. Clove has aphrodisiac properties, which boosts the sex drive and helps prevent impotence. It increases blood flow and prevents premature ejaculation in men, helping them sustain an erection for a longer duration during sexual intercourse. Research also suggests it increase sperm motility.
9. Aids in Quitting Smoke
Cloves can help get rid of addictions like smoking. Chewing a clove reduces the craving for a cigarette.
Ways to Use
You can use whole cloves or make a powder out of them. You can make To make a clove tea, steep a tablespoon of clove powder in boiling water for 5 minutes. Strain the mixture and drink the tea while it’s hot.
You can add them to pies, desserts, and pickles to flavour them. Or you can even add them to the regular brewed tea or in pickles, curries, stews, and meat dishes. You can use them in rice dishes to make them flavourful and fragrant.
Precautions
- Cloves can cause allergic reactions both when taken internally or when you apply the oil topically.
- The compound eugenol can interfere with prescription drugs, especially blood-thinning drugs.
- If you suffer from liver disease, bleeding disorder, or weakened immunity, avoid taking cloves.
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women can consume small amounts of clove added to dishes but avoid excessive consumption.
- Cloves affect blood sugar levels and can cause hypoglycemia.
- Pure clove oil, when consumed, can cause dizziness and even coma.
- The compound eugenol present in cloves is toxic in high doses. It can cause liver damage, especially in children.