Clove

Get a refresher on eugenol, gallic acid and some recipes for the pets.  Clove is a great insect repellent, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antimicrobial, antiseptic, and more!  

Music composed and performed by V. Karaitis

Transcript

Hey!  Thanks for listening!  I’m Chris Wagenti, and this is Who Gets It, Naturally.  Music was composed and performed by V. Karaitis.  I’m not selling anything, diagnosing anything; offering any cures or replacing your doctor.  I’m just sharing my passion for natural products.  If you’re pregnant, please consult your doctor before trying anything new.  Everyone is different so you may need to tweak the recipes a bit to work for you.  Always start with the least amount of essential oils…you can always add, you can’t takeaway.  Remember, these remedies don’t last forever, you need to reapply as needed.  If you are allergic to any of the ingredients I use, please substitute for something you’re not allergic to.  Just because it’s natural doesn’t mean you can’t be allergic to it.

A few things before we dig into this episode.  First, shout out to Brooklyn, NY!  

B, you can now send me a text right from the podcast!  Actually, I’ll get an email with just your location and your message listed.  Depending on the channel, somewhere under the name of the episode is a link to “Send us a Text Message”.

Now to get into the episode.  I’ve mentioned Clove several times, so, let’s talk about what it is and how it can be used.

Clove is the budding flower of a tropical evergreen tree native to the Spice Islands in Indonesia.  It can also be found in Madagascar, Tanzania and Sri Lanka, among other areas.  The fresh buds are small and reddish brown and sort of looks like holly.  Dried buds are brown and kind of look like a spike or a nail.  It’s used as a spice, flavoring and as a fragrance.  In Indonesia, cloves are largely used to make cigarettes.  Clove cigarettes have been banned in the US, presumably because the flavoring can make it attractive to children.  The clove is mixed with tobacco, which can make them as bad for you as regular cigarettes.  Personally, I believe anything you inhale can do some damage to your lungs.  

As far back as 200BC, the Chinese would keep a dried clove in their mouth to freshen their breath during interaction with the emperor.  In the Middle Ages, Europeans used cloves to preserve, flavor and garnish food.  Clove is one of the spices in Chinese Five-Spice Powder.  

In Ayurvedic Medicine, cloves are used to enhance circulation, digestion, and metabolism and aid with stomach disorders such as gas, bloating, and nausea.

The main component of Clove is Eugenol.  This should sound familiar…Cinnamon, Basil, Allspice & Peppers all contain eugenol.  Where eugenol is a fraction of these spices, Clove contains up to 95% eugenol.  To refresh, eugenol is a yellowish liquid with a spicy scent.  Eugenol can be extracted and manufactured.  It has antiseptic, antioxidant, antibiotic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, anesthetic, insect repellent, neuroprotective and hypolipidemic properties, to name a few. It is used in fragrances, mouthwash, toothpaste, migraine medication, mosquito repellent, to ease colds and flu, congestion, travel sickness, inflammation, asthma and other ailments. 

In an article published on the National Library of Medicine, clove is, QUOTE: “…one of the most valuable spices that has been used for centuries as food preservative and for many medicinal purposes.  Clove is native of Indonesia but nowadays is cultured in several parts of the world including Brazil in the state of Bahia.  This plant represents one of the richest source of phenolic compounds such as eugenol, eugenol acetate and gallic acid and posses great potential for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food and agricultural applications.”  END QUOTE

It goes on about how Clove has higher antioxidant and antimicrobial affects than a lot fruits, veggies and other spices.   If you’d like to read it, the article can be found at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3819475/. 

There’s something else that should sound familiar – gallic acid.  Gallic acid can be found in Ginger, Witch Hazel, Cinnamon, Basil, Rosemary and so on.  

To review, gallic acid is one of the most abundant phenolic acids in the plant kingdom.  It has antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, cardioprotective, gastroprotective, and neuroprotective effects among others.  Besides its pharmaceutical properties, it is edible, which makes it very popular in the food industry.  It can inhibit the oxidation and rancidity of fats and oil and is used as a flavoring agent and preservative.  Its antimicrobial properties help fight HIV, Hepatitis C, Herpes and influenza.  Its anticancer properties fight against colorectal cancer, Leukemia and skin cancer, among others.  The anti-inflammatory properties help ease gastrointestinal issues such as ulcers and ulcerative colitis.  It helps protect against cardiovascular diseases.  Metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia can also be fought with gallic acid.  It may also help in the fight against neuropsychological diseases such as Alzheimer’s.  According to the Pub Med article, PMC6528712, QUOTE “...gallic acid can partially neutralize the substance-induced toxicity in the liver and neural system. The beneficial and protective effects of gallic acid on substance- or radiation-induced toxicity in connective tissue, especially bone marrow, renal, reproductive, and respiratory systems have been proven. Almost all of the above-mentioned effects are linked to the antioxidant activity of gallic acid.” END QUOTE.

Cloves can help lower blood sugar and control diabetes; protect against cancer; alleviate coughs and all sorts of oral issues, like toothaches and sore gums; boost immunity; help relieve stress; increase bone density; aid digestion; help protect your liver; relieve pain; help relieve congestion; relieve skin irritations; lower blood pressure; may reduce stomach ulcers, help with weight loss and so much more.  Clove is also packed with Vitamin K, manganese and fiber.  When clove is extracted into oil, the concentration of eugenol becomes much higher.  Therefore, it’s not recommended to take Clove Oil orally.  Too much eugenol can cause many adverse effects.  It can interfere with blood pressure medication and blood sugar medication.  And, go easy on the youngin’s.  If you do use a product with clove oil in it, dilute before using it on children.  With clove, there is such a thing as too much.  For instance, while it can help protect the liver, too much clove can cause liver damage.  So, what’s too much?  According to the National Institutes of Health, the daily quantity acceptable of clove per day is 2.5 mg/kg of weight in humans.  HUH?

Ok, first, 2.5 mg is equal to about 1/2000th of a teaspoon.  There are a million milligrams in a kilogram.  One kilogram is equal to about 2.2 pounds.  So if you weighed 150 pounds, that’s 68.0389 kg.  So, 68.0389 times 2.5 mg equals about 113.4 milligrams.  This equals about ¼ teaspoon.  Find a converting table – or ask an expert…clearly, I’m not when it comes to the metric system!  Or, stick with 2-3 whole cloves a day.  Do your research.

As you can guess, we’re talking small amounts.  If you do cook with clove, you’re definitely going to stay within the recommended serving, unless you’re a freak and use way more than you should! 

Speaking of cooking with it, you can either use whole cloves, or buy it ground. I can remember when my grandmother would make a ham for whatever holiday, she’d stick whole cloves in it, usually in rows, all over the ham.  It’s used in meat rubs, stews, marinades, soups, pot roasts, pickling, sauces, baked goods and warm beverages like hot toddies, chai, mulled wine and cider, as well as Indian dishes.  You can make a tea.  There’s lots of different recipes you can find…clove and cinnamon; clove and bay leaves; clove and ginger.  

Like with other spices, you want to store it in a cool, dry place, and pay attention to the expiration date on the jar.  

If you have a toothache, you can chew on a clove.  It has a numbing affect besides the anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antibiotic, antimicrobial and other properties.  

As I mentioned earlier, Clove Essential Oil is much more potent than the spice.  If you have blood issues (high/low pressure, sugar, clotting, etc.) talk to your healthcare professional before you start using clove in any way.  It can make the issue worse, and/or interfere with any medication you may be taking.  Err on the side of caution. 

The oil can be diffused in one of many different types of diffusers, on a cotton ball, put some in a sprayer bottle and add purified water, witch hazel or alcohol. (remember, you’ll need to add a little vodka to bind the oil to the water or witch hazel)  You can use it as an insect repellent.  It’ll kill fleas…but remember, I mentioned this in the Pet Episode, keep it away from cats, and use less for your dog than you would for you.  Their sense of smell is exponentially greater than yours, and like with humans, too much can be harmful.  If you haven’t listened to the Pet episode yet, and you have pets, you may want to give it a listen.  I shared several recipes for shampoo, flea collars, carpet deodorizer and more.  Here’s a review:

Infield Fly for flea collars – use a 1-ounce bottle with a dropper cap; 4 drops each of thyme, clove and lemongrass essential oils, and about 2 tablespoons of fractionated coconut oil.  This recipe is good for bigger dogs, 20 pounds or more.  For smaller dogs weighing less than 20 pounds, cut the essential oils in half.  For humans, you can add more essential oils – just keep them in equal parts.  I crochet bands with bamboo and either plastic closures or metal lobster claws and rings.  For humans, I crochet bracelets, necklaces and even anklets.  Drop enough Infield Fly on the bamboo to make it turn a darker shade of whatever color used.  This will help keep flies, wasps, fleas and mosquitoes away.  

Sweep is a carpet freshener.  I use 6-ounce spice jars for this…the shaker caps are great to sprinkle the powder on the carpet.  This recipe makes 12 ounces of Sweep, so you’ll need 2 – 6-ounce jars, or 3 – 4-ounce jars; 1 cup sodium bicarbonate; ½ cup Borax; 8 drops of Basil essential oil; 5 drops of Clove essential oil; and 2 drops each of Cedarwood, Lavender, Lemongrass and Thyme essential oils.  Mix all together, then spoon into the jars.  Sprinkle the mixture on the rug, wait 15 to 30 minutes, then vacuum.  This will freshen the rug and kill any fleas, ants, mosquitoes etc. hiding in the rug, and will leave a fresh crisp scent.  Store it in a cool, dry place.

Squeeze Play is a flea shampoo.  You’ll need an 8-ounce amber Boston Round with a pump cap; 6 ounces of distilled water; 4 tablespoons of liquid Castile soap; 3 drops each of Lemongrass and Thyme essential oils; and 2 drops of Clove essential oil.  Add the essential oils to the bottle first, then add the liquid Castile Soap.  No binder is needed since they will mix.  The Castile soap acts like a binder.  Then add the distilled water and shake.  Avoid direct contact with the dog’s nose.

Gap is an anti-flea spray that you can use on the sofa, in the dog’s cage, on pillows, where ever needed.  You’ll need a 2-ounce amber Boston round with a sprayer cap; about 2 ounces of distilled water; 1/8 teaspoon of vodka; and 6 drops each of Lemon Eucalyptus, Clove and Thyme essential oils.  Add the vodka and essential oils to the bottle first and swish to mix.  Then add the distilled water and shake.  

I have to say this again, do not use Clove for cats. 

I made a beard oil for my nephews and called it Chin Music.  You’ll need a 2-ounce amber Boston round and a dropper cap (or a 4-ounce amber Boston round with a pump or a dropper); 1 ounce of Avocado Oil; 1 ounce of Sweet Almond Oil; and 8 drops each of Bergamot, Cardamom, Clove, Peppermint and Petitgrain Essential Oils (for 2 ounces, double for 4 ounces).  The carrier oils are great for skin, and hair…help soften up the beard.  The essential oils will help condition the skin under the beards, soothe any hot spots or irritations and reduce itchiness.  The oils will also help soften the hair and give it a healthy shine.

Clove can be used as a substitute for any of the anti-inflammatories…other essential oils I use in recipes for their anti-inflammatory properties, like Peppermint.  Do a spot test to make sure it doesn’t irritate your skin.  It can also be subbed for its insect repellent properties in the bug repellents…swap out the Cedarwood for Clove.  

As always, if you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to email me at vobyjypsee@usa.com or, send me a text!  You can follow me on X and Instagram … @vobyjypsee; or LinkedIn…search either Chris Wagenti, Who Gets It, Naturally or Voice Overs by Jypsee.  Please download this episode, and make Who Gets It, Naturally a favorite on your preferred channel so you don’t miss an episode.

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