I. Herbfacts: CLOVES
Cloves (Carophyllus aromaticum) are native to the Spice Islands, but they are also cultivated in the East and West Indies, Madagascar and Brazil. Cloves are the dried flower buds of the clove tree, which is a small evergreen tree with gray bark and bright green leaves.
The leaves are covered with clove oil droplets, which makes the whole tree fragrant. The flower buds have large amounts of essential oil that is used in medicine. Cloves are also used in cooking.
Cloves have a rich history dating back to 207 B.C. in China, when the emperor required visitors to chew cloves to freshen their breath. The ancient Greeks used cloves in love potions. Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, the first European to reach the Spice Islands, brought some cloves back to Spain in 1522, where they became prized for their medicinal properties.
After a long trade war, the Dutch gained a monopoly on the clove trade, destroying any trees that were not planted by the Dutch East India Company. In the 18th century, a French adventurer broke the monopoly by smuggling seedlings across the Indian Ocean.
Today, cloves are synonymous with the holidays. They are found on baked ham, in spiced cider, apple pie and holiday cookies, and stuck into oranges for decorative pomanders (recipe below). Cloves are enjoying a revival in alternative medicine because of their many healing benefits.
II. HEALING BENEFITS
For centuries, cloves have been chewed to temporarily relieve toothache pain. Cloves are currently used as the active ingredient in many commercial mouthwashes and toothache remedies.
The active ingredient in cloves is eugenol, an effective painkiller. Eugenol helps kill bacteria and viruses, giving cloves antiseptic (infection-fighting) powers. Cloves are used today to treat athlete's foot and other skin infections since studies show that the oil in cloves kills several strains of bacteria.
Clove tea has been used by the Chinese to treat indigestion. Cloves are stimulating and aid digestion. Clove tea is used to break up intestinal gas and to treat nausea and heartburn. Eugenol kills bacteria, which prevents traveler diarrhea.
III. HOW TO USE CLOVES
Make an Infusion (Clove Tea): Pour 1 cup boiling water on 1 tsp. of cloves and let it steep for ten minutes. Add honey if desired. Cloves have a stimulating, spicy taste. Do not use clove tea for long periods of time without asking your doctor.
Make a Poultice (to treat cuts and bites): Grind up several cloves and mix in water to make a paste.
Apply the paste to the cut and cover the cut with a warm towel. Leave on for five minutes.
Warnings:
If a clove poultice causes skin reddening or a rash, stop using it. Do not take cloves if you are taking anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs. Cloves can irritate the stomach if taken in large quantities.
Ask your doctor before taking cloves if you have a history of cancer, if you are taking birth control pills or prescriptions for chronic illness, if you are pregnant or lactating, under 18 or elderly.
IV. FRAGRANT FALL POMANDER RECIPE
This recipe makes a lovely scented pomander for holiday decorations or gifts.
Pomanders provide a long-lasting holiday scent for people with allergies who do not like flowery smells. Start this project now so the pomanders will be ready in time for the holidays.
Pomanders can be hung from ribbons or arranged in decorative bowls. When hung in closets, pomanders help keep moths away.
Pomanders should be started and finished in the same day, to prevent molding.
Choose 3 or 4 oranges or lemons with thin skins. Insert 4 ounces of whole cloves all over the fruits, spaced 1/8" apart, until the fruits are covered with cloves.
The fruits will shrink as they dry, so do not put the cloves too close together. You might find it easier to prick the fruits first with a thin, pointed tool before inserting the cloves.
Mix 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon and 1 tbsp. ground nutmeg in a small bowl. Roll each fruit in the mix to coat it to keep air out.
Then place the fruits in a large bowl, cover them with spice mixture and let them dry in a warm, dry place, turning them daily to make sure the spices are evenly distributed.
The pomanders are ready when the fruits are hard and completely dry, which takes about a month.
Dust them off with a paintbrush and tie with ribbon.
======================
http://www.pandamedicine.com/rt_health/97.html
Cloves (Carophyllus aromaticum) are native to the Spice Islands, but they are also cultivated in the East and West Indies, Madagascar and Brazil. Cloves are the dried flower buds of the clove tree, which is a small evergreen tree with gray bark and bright green leaves.
The leaves are covered with clove oil droplets, which makes the whole tree fragrant. The flower buds have large amounts of essential oil that is used in medicine. Cloves are also used in cooking.
Cloves have a rich history dating back to 207 B.C. in China, when the emperor required visitors to chew cloves to freshen their breath. The ancient Greeks used cloves in love potions. Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, the first European to reach the Spice Islands, brought some cloves back to Spain in 1522, where they became prized for their medicinal properties.
After a long trade war, the Dutch gained a monopoly on the clove trade, destroying any trees that were not planted by the Dutch East India Company. In the 18th century, a French adventurer broke the monopoly by smuggling seedlings across the Indian Ocean.
Today, cloves are synonymous with the holidays. They are found on baked ham, in spiced cider, apple pie and holiday cookies, and stuck into oranges for decorative pomanders (recipe below). Cloves are enjoying a revival in alternative medicine because of their many healing benefits.
II. HEALING BENEFITS
For centuries, cloves have been chewed to temporarily relieve toothache pain. Cloves are currently used as the active ingredient in many commercial mouthwashes and toothache remedies.
The active ingredient in cloves is eugenol, an effective painkiller. Eugenol helps kill bacteria and viruses, giving cloves antiseptic (infection-fighting) powers. Cloves are used today to treat athlete's foot and other skin infections since studies show that the oil in cloves kills several strains of bacteria.
Clove tea has been used by the Chinese to treat indigestion. Cloves are stimulating and aid digestion. Clove tea is used to break up intestinal gas and to treat nausea and heartburn. Eugenol kills bacteria, which prevents traveler diarrhea.
III. HOW TO USE CLOVES
Make an Infusion (Clove Tea): Pour 1 cup boiling water on 1 tsp. of cloves and let it steep for ten minutes. Add honey if desired. Cloves have a stimulating, spicy taste. Do not use clove tea for long periods of time without asking your doctor.
Make a Poultice (to treat cuts and bites): Grind up several cloves and mix in water to make a paste.
Apply the paste to the cut and cover the cut with a warm towel. Leave on for five minutes.
Warnings:
If a clove poultice causes skin reddening or a rash, stop using it. Do not take cloves if you are taking anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs. Cloves can irritate the stomach if taken in large quantities.
Ask your doctor before taking cloves if you have a history of cancer, if you are taking birth control pills or prescriptions for chronic illness, if you are pregnant or lactating, under 18 or elderly.
IV. FRAGRANT FALL POMANDER RECIPE
This recipe makes a lovely scented pomander for holiday decorations or gifts.
Pomanders provide a long-lasting holiday scent for people with allergies who do not like flowery smells. Start this project now so the pomanders will be ready in time for the holidays.
Pomanders can be hung from ribbons or arranged in decorative bowls. When hung in closets, pomanders help keep moths away.
Pomanders should be started and finished in the same day, to prevent molding.
Choose 3 or 4 oranges or lemons with thin skins. Insert 4 ounces of whole cloves all over the fruits, spaced 1/8" apart, until the fruits are covered with cloves.
The fruits will shrink as they dry, so do not put the cloves too close together. You might find it easier to prick the fruits first with a thin, pointed tool before inserting the cloves.
Mix 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon and 1 tbsp. ground nutmeg in a small bowl. Roll each fruit in the mix to coat it to keep air out.
Then place the fruits in a large bowl, cover them with spice mixture and let them dry in a warm, dry place, turning them daily to make sure the spices are evenly distributed.
The pomanders are ready when the fruits are hard and completely dry, which takes about a month.
Dust them off with a paintbrush and tie with ribbon.
======================
http://www.pandamedicine.com/rt_health/97.html
