I absolutely love cloves.

I love the smell. I love the taste. I love sprinkling clove into my coffee. I love that what we call a “clove” is actually the dried flower bud of the clove tree—and that even after it has been dried, it still looks like a tiny little flower.

And I especially love knowing that something so simple, inexpensive and readily available in our kitchens contains such powerful plant compounds.

This is one of the things I want us to remember about natural healing: plants are powerful. They contain an extraordinary array of nutrients and phytochemicals that can support the systems our bodies use every day to protect, balance and regenerate themselves.

Cloves are especially rich in a plant compound called eugenol, which has been studied for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Cloves have a long history of traditional use for digestion, removing parasites, and oral health.

And the research on this tiny flower bud is fascinating. Human studies using concentrated clove polyphenols have reported improvements in blood sugar regulation and cholesterol and triglyceride levels, along with increased antioxidant defenses and reductions in markers of inflammation and oxidative stress—all important factors in metabolic and cardiovascular health.

And incorporating them into your day can be incredibly simple.

My favorite everyday clove practice is this:

I put about 20 whole cloves into a jar of purified water and let them infuse overnight. In the morning, I take about a tablespoon of that beautiful, rich clove water. Sometimes I take another tablespoon or two later in the day or before bed.

That’s it.

No elaborate recipe. No supplement. Just cloves and water.

I also enjoy simply putting a whole clove in my mouth and sucking on it or gently chewing it. I personally like about three cloves throughout the day this way. It freshens the breath and leaves my mouth feeling wonderfully clean. Don't be surprised if your tongue feels a little numb—that sensation comes largely from eugenol, which has a local anesthetic effect.

For me, these little practices are another way of saying to my body: I am giving you the raw materials and plant compounds you can use to do what you were designed to do.

Your body is constantly rebuilding, repairing, detoxifying, balancing and regenerating. And the plants growing on this Earth offer us an astonishing pharmacy of nutrients and compounds that can support those natural processes.

It doesn't always have to be complicated.

Sometimes it's three little flower buds.

And if you want to make your cloves a little more elegant and festive, here's one of my favorite treats: Walnut-Clove Milk.

Soak about 1½ cups of organic raw walnuts for 5- 8 hours, then drain and rinse them. Blend them with 4–6 cups purified water, about 3 whole cloves, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Strain and enjoy.

It is creamy, subtly spicy, deeply nourishing to the mind, body, and spirit... and absolutely delicious—especially warmed.

So today, open your spice cabinet and find your cloves.

Smell them. Look at that beautiful little flower bud. Drop a few into some water and let nature do what nature does.

Simple practices, repeated consistently, can become beautiful acts of self-love.

Your body is designed to heal. Give it beautiful things to work with.

With love,

Dr. Blythe Metz-Mändmets
Blythe Natural Living

P.S. Cloves are potent, particularly in concentrated forms. If you're pregnant, have a bleeding disorder, take blood-thinning or certain other medications, or are preparing for surgery, check with your healthcare professional before making concentrated clove preparations a regular practice. Clove essential oil should not be treated like whole culinary cloves.


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