Cloves

Clove trees are native to the Spice Islands but now can also be found in other parts of the eastern world. You can information about the Spice Islands here. If you happen to be a homeschooler, I have also come across a unit study for the Spice Islands which can be found here. Last but not least, here is a guide I found online that tells about how long a spice will last in your cupboard.

Cloves have been dated back to at least the year 207 B.C. in China where it is said that the emperor required visitors to chew on cloves to freshen their breath. In 1552, an explorer named Ferdinand Megallan was the first to bring cloves back to his home in Spain which were highly coveted for their medicinal properties. That sure was a long time for the rest of the world to wait to use this wonderful spice.

The active ingredient in cloves is eugenol which is a very effective painkiller. It also acts to kill bacteria, fungis and virus’s. The eugenol in this plant gives the cloves amazing antiseptic properties.

Here are some helpful medicinal uses for cloves -

1.treating skin infections as well as athletes foot
2.kills several strains of bacteria
3.stimulating and aiding in digestion
4.used to treat intestinal gas, nausea and heartburn
5.helps prevent traveler’s diarrhea
6.quick cure for a toothache
7.kills parasite eggs

While battling a parasitic infection I started doing lots of research trying to find out what we could do to naturally get rid of these nasty little vermin's. I came across a site where it mentioned cloves being the only thing that would actually kill parasite eggs. I was super excited to say the least. So I started eating a couple cloves a day. I must admit the first couple times I did it, I had a hard time with all the spice. It’s definitely one of those acquired tastes. Apparently it is best to not use the powder but to instead put a whole bud in the mouth and grind between the teeth for maximum health benefits, so that’s what I did. However, this is not the only use for cloves besides their wonderful taste in holiday foods. Be prepared to be amazed at the wonderful benefits of a well known spice - it’s not just for baking.

As you saw from above there are many advantages to using whole cloves as clove essential oil. Below are a couple recipes for homemade mouthwash using cloves. One of them uses rosemary which is the one I hope to make very soon. Rosemary is highly recommended by Juliette De Bairacli Levy. While I do not agree with some of her ideals of God and the earth, this woman has so much wisdom when it comes to herbal remedies. I would highly encourage anyone seeking herbal wisdom to view her movie - Juliette of the Herbs if you can find it available.

Homemade Clove Mouthwash - from recipezaar.

Homemade, Alcohol Free Mouthwash

I hope you have enjoyed your mini lesson on cloves. Enjoy this wonderful spice as it has so many wonderful healing properties.