Clove Oil

Clove Oil Benefits

Chances are you’re familiar with cloves as a beloved spice, frequently used alongside cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg in "pumpkin pie spice" and gingerbread cookies, thanks to their intensely aromatic yet subtly sweet flavour, which is why it makes a lovely essential oil.

What we know as cloves are tiny flower buds from the Syzygium aromaticum tree, a member of the Myrtaceae family, indigenous to Indonesia and India. Beyond their culinary use, cloves have been a staple of Ayurvedic medicine and TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) for centuries, thanks to their impressive therapeutic properties. Traditionally, cloves were used to cleanse, soothe pain and abrasions, and promote healthy respiration and digestion.

Clove oil is made from the dried, unopened buds of the Syzygium aromaticum tree. Certain varieties of clove oil are made from the tree's leaves, stems, and buds, but the oil is most concentrated in the buds.

From a chemical composition standpoint, clove oil is extremely rich in a phenolic compound called Eugenol (70%–95% in the bud) that protects against free radicals. It also contains other important compounds, such as flavonoids, thymol, benzene, and methylene chloride, which help promote healthy aging and may protect against disease onset.

Benefits of Clove Essential Oil 

• Antioxidants
• Fights Inflammation & Infection
• Encourages Healthy Metabolism
• Relieves Pain
• Supports Digestive Health

Therapeutic Properties of Clove Essential Oil

Clove oil is highly warming and stimulating and offers robust antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulatory, and antiseptic properties. As such, it's ideal for treating viruses, bacteria, and all sorts of infections. Clove oil is also a first-rate topical analgesic (a numbing agent) and is often recommended for toothaches and dental care, as well as to manage muscle aches and other forms of pain. Moreover, clove oil promotes Digestive Health and has been shown to protect against stomach ulcers and help prevent liver damage and scarring. Clove oil's unique chemical composition also lends itself exceptionally well to managing blood sugar and promoting metabolic health.

Last but by no means least, clove oil may be used to effectively inhibit the growth of mould on foods.

Using Essential Oils

In aromatherapy applications, this oil can be used in a few different ways:

• Sprayed (added to water in a spray bottle) to freshen a room and add a festive fragrance.
• Diffused (make sure the room is well-ventilated)
• Topical application via massage (diluted in a carrier oil) or added to skincare creams and lotions. It can also be diluted with an edible carrier oil (think coconut or olive oil) and dabbed onto an aching tooth or gum.
  
  

Clove essential oil blends well with other spicy and herbaceous oils such as cinnamon, ginger, citronella, peppermint, and rosemary. It also pairs well with citrus oils like lemon, grapefruit, and orange.

To get the highest quality clove oil, look for one that is 100% pure and third-party certified. A high-quality oil should also be free from synthetic preservatives, colours, fragrances, synthetic colour stabilizers, parabens, and petroleum. Ideally, select an oil from a reputable company that does not test on animals.