Benefits Of Cloves For Weight Loss

Have you ever thought about shedding some weight but not sure of the best means to achieve this? Are you curious about the health benefits of cloves and uncertain about their impact on weight loss? If this is you, then keep reading to gain more knowledge on this interesting herb called cloves and how it leads to weight loss you might want to include clove tea in your weight loss regimen afterwards. You will discover that cloves have other health benefits like immunity boost, and remedy for indigestion.    

This article analyses the research into the essence of clove for weight loss and other health benefits. The nutritional facts of the spice and its side effects are also discussed.

What are cloves

What are cloves?

Cloves are medicinal spices with distinct flavour and strong fragrance used in preparing clove tea or clove water across various countries. Cloves are produced from the flower buds of tropical trees known as Syzygium aromaticum and Eugenia aromatica.¹ These buds are often dried before preparation and the trees are planted in several locations in Africa and Asia. They are planted for both household and commercial purposes and are mixed with other spices and combined with ginger, garlic, cinnamon and honey for belly fat reduction.² Its capacity to increase metabolism makes weight loss after long-term consumption of the tea possible. Cloves are known to contain antioxidants, ripping off unwanted free radicals from the body. They make the consumer feel full, thus reducing the number of calories they must consume to feel satisfied. Cloves are used as spices for cooking due to their distinct flavour. They are utilised in the treatment of cough, skin problems, hair loss and even for toothache. Since clove looks like a nail, the word clove was derived from ‘clove’ and ‘clavus’ which are French and Latin words respectively.

Benefits of cloves for weight loss

Cloves for weight loss

In the cloves' weight loss regimen, the spice could be combined with other species like cinnamon and cumin to produce an effective drink that aids in the loss of body fats. This product is known to be a vital weight loss recipe due to the inherent property in the ingredient that results in increased metabolism. To prepare this recipe, you will need a half teaspoon of cloves, one stick of cinnamon and a quarter teaspoon of cumin seeds.³

Delving extensively into the benefits of cloves for weight loss, this spice helps one to cut down some body fat via several means.

Cloves boost the body's metabolic process

Slow metabolism is a barrier to weight loss. This means that persons with a slower metabolic rate have more of the calories they consume stored up as body fats. Thus, the body does not use up these calories immediately but allows them to be accumulated for later use. Despite having more than enough energy stored up as fat in your cells and tissues, you will still eat the next time you get hungry, consuming more calories which are broken down more slowly, piling up more body fat. Cloves come in the way of your increasing weight gain by spiking your calorie breakdown, which means that the more calories are used up as immediate energy for your body systems, the less fat is built around your organs such as muscles and liver, cutting your general body fat.

Cloves have anti-lipid characteristics

Another means of cutting down body fat is in clove's ability to limit the build-up of blood cholesterol. This function is possible via an anti-lipid effect which is due to the anti-cholestyramine present in cloves that hinders ‘bad’ lipids from piling up in your blood.

Cloves aid blood sugar control

Cloves are known to speed up insulin production from pancreatic cells, promoting the absorption of glucose into body cells and reducing blood sugar levels in the blood. A more regulated blood sugar leads to effective weight loss.⁴

Cloves promote anti-oxidation

Another weight loss effect of cloves is in the spices’ antioxidant properties. High oxidative stress is known to deter weight loss and boosts excessive weight gain. Cloves aid the breakdown of free body radicals implicated in body fat build-up. They elevate your metabolic rate through this antioxidative process which not only impacts your weight loss prospects but also improves your general health outcome.

Other health benefits of cloves

Oral Health: Clove oil has been studied by researchers as a means of sustaining oral health due to its impact on mouth bacteria, plaque and gingivitis. These researchers made a comparison of the effectiveness of mouth rinses containing clove and basil with other oil mouth rinses in circulation. Their findings revealed that herbal clove mouth rinses and commercial mouth rinses were effective in combating bad breath, gingivitis and plaque by reducing oral bacteria and inflammation.⁵

Culinary Uses: Cloves are also useful in dish preparation. They are often dried, grounded and added to various delicacies due to their flavour and fragrance. For instance, in Asia, this well-known spice is often used when preparing diverse dishes even in Chinese cuisine. Cloves are used alongside other spices like ginger, pepper and turmeric in the marination of fish, turkey and chicken. They are also utilised in cooking pepper soups, barbecue sauces, and as a constituent of powdered curry.

Can I drink warm water cloves?

Drinking cloves in warm water is the best way to consume them. Drinking a glass of warm water before bedtime with two cloves can help you overcome a variety of health problems.

The best way to consume cloves is by drinking them in warm water known as clove tea. When clove tea is gargled, it can be used to relieve toothache and sore throat.

Consuming cloves at night can help relieve stomach issues such as acidity, diarrhoea, and constipation, and improves overall health. Soaking cloves in water and drinking clove-infused water is the best way to boost your health. Clove water is highly beneficial for your health, especially in the winter. It will help you improve your digestive health and reduce body fat. It will also help with inflammation.⁶

Helps in the treatment of inflammation

Cloves possess anti-inflammatory properties. They contain antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress and are essential for patients that have arthritis.

Improving overall immune system

Drinking clove water every morning can help boost your immune system and keep you safe from harmful infections and flu. Clove water contains a lot of vital vitamins and minerals that are good for your health and immunity. It is also high in vitamin K, vitamin C, manganese, calcium, and magnesium.⁷

Cloves improve the body's immunity

Cloves are also known to boost the immune system and keep one protected from infections including flu.

Cloves improve sexual health

Cloves are known to elevate sexual health by improving libido, erectile function and the production of sex hormones.⁸

Improves bone health

Clove tea consumption promotes bone health as it contains manganese which is good for healthy bones. This protects the body from ailments like osteoporosis.

Cloves are anti-ageing

The anti-ageing characteristics of cloves are from the antioxidant component which shields the body from rapid ageing. This preserves the tissues and organs of the body, especially the skin.

Nutritional facts

Cloves constitute essential oils known as eugenol. This oil belongs to a class of chemical compounds called phenylpropanoids which makes the fragrance of the spice aromatic and sweet. Eugenols are also used for dental care and treatment due to their anaesthetic effect.

Medicinal properties and health benefits of cloves

The spice also includes other essential components, which are: essential oils such as vanillin, Maslinic acid; tannins including methyl salicylate, gallotannic acid; flavonoids including, rhamnetin, kaempferol; and Triterpenoids including oleanolic acid, campesterol, stigmasterol.

Cloves contain active ingredients that promote gut motility by improving the enzyme secretion of the gastrointestinal tract.

A good amount of minerals is found in the spice. These minerals include selenium, iron, manganese and magnesium. Potassium is an electrolyte present in body fluids and cells which is useful in the control of blood pressure and heart rate.

Vitamin A and beta-carotene levels which have antioxidant properties are also found in the spice buds. Vitamin A is good for healthy vision, skin and mucosa health. Flavonoid consumption aids the body’s protection against oral cavity and lung cancers.

Also, the spice contains vitamin K, vitamin C, riboflavin, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and thiamine (Vitamin B1). Foods rich in vitamin C provide the body with the resistance required in fighting oxygen-free radicals and infectious agents.

Side effects and other concerns

Just like every other medicinal product, there are risks and side effects associated with clove tea and clove oil. A report from the National Centre for Biotechnology Information revealed that there are numerous health hazards linked with cloves which include eye irritation when in contact with the eyes, respiratory irritation and skin damage in the case of allergic reactions.

As a side effect, cloves may elevate the occurrence of bleeding or accelerate the effect of Warfarin in the body, making it prone to bleeding. Therefore, it is crucial to liaise with a health professional before consuming any medicinal product whether herbal or not, so that potential drug-body interactions and side effects are reviewed. Other side effects include liver damage and multiple medical problems.

Summary

Cloves are essential spices which contain nutritional properties that are medicinal but could have some risks and side effects, especially when consumed in large amounts over a very short period. It is obvious that cloves are used as cooking agents in the preparation of some dishes like meat, sauce, and soup and can also be used as a weight loss agent due to their capacity to spike body metabolism, burning more body fat than usual which is essential for individuals that desire to lose weight. However, caution should be taken in the consumption of the spice as allergic reactions could occur. Though the spice is known to deter oral and lung cancers, excessive consumption could lead to respiratory irritations and skin damage. Cases of bleeding were reported due to the interference of the active ingredients in the spice with clotting factors in the blood. It is recommended that cloves as a medicinal product should be reviewed by medical personnel before consumption and before usage as a treatment for weight loss.