The Right Way to Take Cloves: Avoid These 3 Fatal Mistakes

Summary

The video discusses potential benefits and risks of using cloves, especially for older adults. It identifies eugenol as a key compound in cloves and notes that cloves ranked exceptionally high in a 2010 antioxidant-capacity test. The narrator cautions that test-tube antioxidant scores do not necessarily predict effects in the human body, and that evidence for health benefits remains limited.

Small human studies are described as suggesting possible effects on blood sugar, while clove’s traditional use for oral discomfort is also discussed. Potential liver benefits are based mainly on animal research. The video emphasizes that cloves are not a substitute for prescribed treatment.

Key Strategies and Safety Advice

• Use cloves in modest, food-based amounts. The video suggests:
  • Steeping 2–3 whole cloves in hot water for 5–10 minutes and having a cup after a meal.
  • Adding about ¼ teaspoon of ground clove to food.
  • Slowly chewing one whole clove after a meal for fresh breath or oral comfort.
• Avoid swallowing clove essential oil. Concentrated clove oil can cause severe poisoning, including liver failure, seizures, or coma. Keep it away from children.
• Take extra care with blood thinners. Eugenol may affect blood clotting. The video advises people taking medicines such as warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel, or apixaban to limit cloves to occasional culinary use and discuss regular use with a clinician.
• Check with a clinician before regular use if taking diabetes medication. Cloves may lower blood sugar and could add to the effects of medicines such as insulin or metformin.
• Ask about stopping medicinal amounts before surgery. The video recommends stopping them about two weeks beforehand because of possible bleeding risk.
• Avoid excessive amounts. High intake may cause mouth or stomach irritation, heartburn, or nausea. The video’s guiding principle is “small doses, food forms, consistency over intensity.”
• Store cloves well. Keep whole cloves in an airtight container away from light. The video says they retain their potency longer than ground cloves.

The video’s evidence comes from small studies and early-stage research, so its suggested uses should not be treated as established medical treatments. Anyone with a bleeding disorder, liver disease, or relevant medication use should seek personalized medical advice.

Presenters and Sources Mentioned

• Presenter: Unnamed narrator for the Biohealthy channel.
• Sources cited in the video: A 2010 analysis published in Nutrition Journal; researchers identified as being at the National Institute for Aging; a 2023 laboratory analysis of commercial spices; a 2019 pilot study in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine; a separate 2019 study of people with type 2 diabetes; Cleveland Clinic doctors; NIH LiverTox; Drugs.com; MedlinePlus; the World Health Organization; and dietitians.