(NaturalHealth365)  Can a spice you already have in your pantry or spice rack actually help reduce inflammation – let alone add great taste to your dishes?

You actually probably have several spices that are well-known for their health benefits.  Today, we’ll focus on one that is known for its warm spicy flavor.

Add more cloves to your food and enjoy these 10 impressive health benefits

The clove spice originates from Indonesia and is the dried flower bud of the clove tree.  Named after the Latin word for nail (clavus), cloves are a popular pantry item shown in scientific research to offer a wide range of good-for-you effects.  Here are ten:

1. Improve gut health.  In traditional medicine, clove was used to help alleviate gastrointestinal upset and improve digestion.
2. Protect against unwanded bacterial invasions.  An older study from the Journal of Natural Products found that cloves have powerful antibacterial effects.
3. Support healthy liver function.  Cloves contain a powerful plant compound called eugenol, which has been shown to improve liver function and combat fatty liver disease.
4. Maintain healthy blood sugar levels.  A 2006 study from the journal Nutrition showed that people with type 2 diabetes who consumed one to three grams of cloves daily for a month improved their blood sugar levels.
5. Help support strong bones.  The nutrient manganese, which is found in cloves, is important for bone and connective tissue health.
6. Balance immune function.  Antioxidant-rich cloves can support immune function, fight free radicals, and combat oxidative stress.
7. Calm down low level inflammation.  The eugenol in cloves has been shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect.
8. Promote healthy teeth and gums.  Between its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and possibly analgesic (pain-relieving) effects, clove spice could be a useful tool for fighting gum disease and even alleviating minor toothaches naturally.
9. Enhance your sex drive.  An unknown aphrodisiac?  According to traditional Unani medicine, cloves enhance sexual desire and arousal.
10. Provide natural headache relief.  The traditional way to alleviate headache pain with cloves is to crush some clove buds in a handkerchief and then inhale the aroma.

As with most nutritional information, we certainly need more studies with human participants to truly capture the impact of cloves on human wellness.  But because they are so affordable and easy to find, you certainly can start experimenting with this spice yourself.

Want to know how to use cloves in your own cooking and baking?  Find some kitchen inspiration here

Soups, sauces, stews, side dishes, main dishes.  Here are five possible ways:

• Mix cloves into a homemade meat rub
• Add some cloves to your homemade pickling solution or brine
• Use ground clove to add warmth to your smoothies, lattes, or baked goods
• Mix into homemade soups or stews
• Add some clove to an evening drink

Cookers and bakers should note: a little goes a long way when it comes to cloves.  Use sparingly and, if possible, be sure to remove whole cloves from your dishes before serving, as some people find that whole cloves have an unpleasant texture and mouthfeel … fortunately, your dishes will still retain the great clove flavor.

Sources for this article include:

Food.news
ACS.org
NIH.gov