Cloves rank amongst the best herbs for their antioxidant and antifungal properties

Tuesday, January 14, 2014 by: P. Simard
Tags: cloves, antioxidants, antifungal properties

(NaturalNews) It's a known fact that most spices are good sources of antioxidants, and cloves are no different, as they should definitely be ranked among the best if not at the very top. Research from the Miguel Hernandez University back in 2010, demonstrated that cloves were simply the best when it came to giving off hydrogen and reducing lipid peroxidation compared to sage, rosemary, thyme and oregano. The purpose of the study was primarily to encourage more spices being added into food products.

The research confirmed that spices involved in a Mediterranean diet are extremely beneficial antioxidants as long as the organoleptic aspects of the food are not compromised. Based on her findings as a main contributor to the research, Mrs. Fernandez Lopez went on to say that lipid oxidation was one of the leading factors for foods deteriorating, therefore causing them to lose part of their nutritional value and limiting their lifespan. To somewhat compensate, the food industry uses synthetic antioxidants, although questions remain about possible toxicity or even side effects. It is no surprise that there's a growing interest in using plant-based products such as cloves in order to replace the synthetic antioxidants.

Cloves are also known to have extremely efficient antifungal properties, and you'll most likely find them in the list of ingredients if you ever decide to buy a specific product to cleanse your intestinal tract. They are filled with important nutrients such as manganese, magnesium, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin K, dietary fiber and vitamin C. Their most valuable component is named eugenol, and it has been the subject of numerous studies used to validate its effectiveness in regard to the prevention of toxicity from pollutants such as carbon tetrachloride or physical problems such as joint inflammation and digestive tract cancer.

Cloves are incredibly beneficial to the intestinal tract

They can surely help with many intestinal problems. Cloves can provide assistance for flatulence, indigestion, nausea and loose stools. They also contribute to eliminating symptoms associated with vomiting, gastric irritability or diarrhea.

Candida albicans is a known pathogen that can start causing problems when it grows and becomes a fungal infection, or candidiasis. These infections are linked to biofilm formation occurring on the surface of tissues. As these infections are quickly becoming resistant to common antifungal agents, researchers in China were lead to test eugenol's ability to inhibit the development of Candida albicans biofilm. It turns out that, given a high enough concentration and due to rapid adherence to cells, eugenol has the potential to drastically inhibit the filamentous growth with very little cytotoxicity.

Cloves have analgesic properties and may be used to treat certain dental problems such as tooth aches. You may also use clove oil to treat sore gums or simply to maintain your dental health. The cloves also have antiseptic properties and help with cuts, bruises, burns or wounds.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.sciencedaily.com

http://www.whfoods.com

http://science.naturalnews.com

http://www.antioxidants-for-health-and-longevity.com

http://science.naturalnews.com

About the author:
After spending several years working in property management, P. Simard is now focusing on being a naturopath in Quebec.