Buying Guide for Cloves
Cloves can be ground or used whole. To add depth and flavor to a wide variety of foods, people typically use ground cloves in spice mixes and whole cloves in recipes. These small dark brown pods are used to flavor curries, season meats, enrich sauces such as Worcestershire sauce, and even spice baked products. They also provide several health advantages.
Benefits of Cloves
Reduced Inflammation
Cloves include a number of chemicals with anti-inflammatory effects. The most important of these chemicals is eugenol. Eugenol has been demonstrated to diminish the body's inflammatory response, lowering the likelihood of diseases like arthritis and aiding in the management of symptoms.
Fewer Free Radicals
Eugenol is a powerful antioxidant as well. Antioxidants abound in cloves. These molecules aid in the battle against free radicals, which can harm your cells and cause disease. The antioxidants in cloves can help reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain malignancies by eliminating free radicals from your system.
Reduced Ulcers
Cloves can assist to prevent stomach ulcers. The weakening of the mucus layers that protect your stomach lining is the most common cause of ulcers. Cloves have been shown in preliminary research to thicken this mucus, lessening your chance of getting ulcers and aiding the healing of existing ulcers.
Improved Liver Function
Cloves may also help the liver operate better. Clove eugenol has been proven in several studies to help lessen the symptoms of liver cirrhosis and fatty liver disease. It may also help with liver function in general.
Factors consider before buying Cloves
Smell
You want to make sure you can smell something when you place it to your nose if you can smell the cloves. If there's no smell at all, it's probably too old.
Packaging
Prefer products that come in containers rather than bags. It only extends their shelf life of bags, even the greatest bags on the planet, are not completely airtight, and the air is the enemy of spices.
Look
Take a look at the cloves package and the color of the spices. If the peppercorns aren't vivid and black, or if they're greying and looking fractured, don't use them.
Storage
You'll be good as long as it's in a container with a lid, it's not exposed to humidity, and it's not subjected to extreme heat or cold.
Conclusion
Cloves are available whole or ground. However, once ground, their efficacy immediately diminishes. Buy whole cloves and store them in airtight containers until you're ready to use them to maintain their flavor. If you need ground cloves, use a pepper mill to grind them so they stay as fresh as possible.
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