Cloves: Flavor, Cooking Use and Health Facts
Cloves are warm, pungent and a little sweet and are used whole in rice, braises and drinks and ground in baking; research is mostly on clove oil, and the oil can poison young children.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
In the kitchen at a glance
Flavor:Warm / woodyHot / pungentEarthy
Aroma: Warm, strong and spicy-sweet, with a medicinal edge.
Used in: baking, curries, rice and grains, tea and drinks, pickling
Usual amount in food: About 1/4 teaspoon ground per cup of flour, or 2 to 3 whole buds per liter of liquid, according to one cooking guide; USDA lists 2.1 g per teaspoon of ground cloves.
What it is
Cloves are the dried flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum, an evergreen tree of the myrtle family. [1] The tree comes from the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. Today Indonesia, Madagascar, Tanzania, Sri Lanka and Comoros grow the most. [1] The buds are picked when they turn from green to bright red, at about 1.5 to 2 cm long, then dried. [1] An older name for the tree, Eugenia caryophyllata, still appears in some books and papers. [16]Flavor and aroma
Cloves taste warm, earthy and pungent, with a little sweetness and a hint of bitterness. [2] The smell is strong. Eugenol is the main compound behind the taste and aroma, making up roughly 72 to 90 percent of the bud oil. [1] Ground cloves taste stronger and give up their flavor faster than whole ones. [2] Too much can taste harsh or metallic, so cooks use them in small amounts. [1][2]Cloves pair well with cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, red wine, citrus peel, apples, pears, onion and star anise. [1]
How it is used in cooking
Whole buds need time to release flavor, so add them early to simmered dishes, braises, rice and pickling liquids. Ground cloves mix in quickly, which suits baking and short-cooked dishes. [2]- Whole: studding a ham, pot roast, biryani and other meat and rice dishes, pickling spice, mulled wine, chai and spiced syrups. [2]
- Ground: pumpkin pie spice, cookies, gingerbread, muffins, chai mixes, and blends such as baharat and garam masala. [2]
- Around the world: Asian, African, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking; curries and marinades; hot drinks with lemon and sugar; fruit such as apples, pears and rhubarb. [1]
- Malay cooking: one of the "four sibling spices" with cinnamon, cardamom and star anise. [1]
- Mexico and Peru: clavos de olor often goes with cumin and cinnamon in Mexico, and cloves appear in Peruvian dishes such as arroz con leche. [1]
Swapping whole for ground: one cooking guide suggests about 3/4 teaspoon ground for 1 teaspoon of whole cloves. [2] If you have no cloves, the same guide offers nutmeg (closest in flavor), allspice, cardamom, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, starting with about half the amount. [2]
Normal food amounts
| Measure | Grams | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon, ground | 2.1 g | USDA [13] |
| 1 tablespoon, ground | 6.5 g | USDA [13] |
| Baking | About 1/4 teaspoon per cup of flour | One cooking guide [2] |
| Braise or rice | 2 to 3 whole buds per liter of liquid | One cooking guide [2] |
What one teaspoon (2.1 g) of ground cloves provides, calculated from USDA values per 100 g:
| Nutrient | One teaspoon |
|---|---|
| Energy | about 6 kcal |
| Fiber | about 0.7 g |
| Calcium | about 13 mg |
| Manganese | about 1.3 mg |
| Potassium | about 21 mg |
| Iron | about 0.25 mg |
The USDA SR Legacy data are from 2018, and real products vary. [13] Manganese stands out: 1.3 mg is more than half of the 2.3 mg Daily Value on US labels. [14] Everything else in a teaspoon is a small share, so cloves are a flavoring and not a main source of anything else.
Buying, storing and preparing
- Forms: whole buds, ground cloves, and clove oil, which is sold for other uses and is not a cooking ingredient. [1]
- Quality: a weak smell means the spice is tired. Crush one bud; a flat smell means it is time to replace it. [2]
- Used buds: one grade is "exhausted" cloves, with most of the oil already distilled out. [1] Wikipedia notes a published question about whether some cloves are adulterated with used ones, but gives no detail. [1]
- Shelf life: one cooking guide says whole cloves keep about a year and ground cloves lose strength after roughly 3 to 6 months. [2] We found no official shelf-life figure.
- Storing: an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place. [2]
Health: what research says
Eating cloves in cooking is very different from using clove oil or eugenol, and almost all the research is on the oil, eugenol or gels, not on the spice in food.Food amounts vs supplements
| In normal cooking | In supplements, oils and gels | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical amount | About 2.1 g per teaspoon (USDA); recipes use a fraction of that [13][2] | Not set. We found no official amount for supplements [11] |
| What studies mostly used | Almost no studies of cloves eaten as a spice were found | Clove oil, eugenol, extracts, and a homemade gel on the gum [4][9] |
| What we can say about benefit | Nothing shown for food amounts | Some dental pain results; other findings come from cells and animals [3][9][11] |
| Main safety limit | Allergy is possible but not described as common in food [7][8] | Oil poisoning in children; skin and mouth irritation; bleeding questions [6][11][16] |
What the evidence shows
| Use | What the sources found | Strength of evidence | Form and population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toothache and dental pain | A 2025 systematic review of 21 studies listed clove oil (eugenol) among plant agents with the strongest pain-relief results in dentistry, and called for larger trials. [9] | Promising but limited | Clove oil or eugenol in the mouth; dental patients [9] |
| Numbing before a needle in the mouth | In 73 adult volunteers, a homemade clove gel and a benzocaine gel both scored lower pain than placebo, with no difference between them. [4] | Promising but limited | Gel on gum; healthy adults [4] |
| Dry socket after tooth removal | A 2026 narrative review found 8 recent clinical articles on clove and other herbs and called the results promising, with standard doses still missing. [10] | Insufficient evidence | Clove products on the extraction site [10] |
| Infections, cancer, inflammation and others | A review of cell and animal work reports many effects of clove extract, oil and eugenol. [3][11] | Lab or animal only | Extracts, oil, eugenol in cells and animals [3][11] |
| Body weight and blood fats | One 28-day rat study gave clove extract and saw less weight gain. [15] | Lab or animal only | Alcohol extract in obese rats [15] |
| Cloves eaten as a spice | No study found | Insufficient evidence | Food amounts |
For supplement forms, trials and interactions in depth, see the full herb guide: Cloves.
Official statements
- EMA, HMPC (EU): the committee did not adopt a European herbal monograph for clove flower buds; the page we opened gives no wording on uses or safety. [12] Its 2011 assessment, as summarized on our herb guide, found traditional use for short-term toothache. [16]
- AMA (US), 1988: clove cigarettes carry all the hazards of tobacco smoking. [5]
- FDA and NCCIH: we did not open a current FDA or NCCIH statement on cloves (the NCCIH page did not load).
Related pages
Health connections for Cloves
What research links to this spice, and how strong the evidence is. Most studies use concentrated extracts or doses far above what you eat; each card says which.
Toothache and dental pain
Preliminary or mixedA 2025 systematic review of 21 studies listed clove oil (eugenol) among plant agents with the strongest pain-relief results in dentistry, and asked for larger trials.
Supplements: Oil or eugenol in dental settings only; not shown for cooking amounts and not a replacement for seeing a dentist.
Surface numbing before a needle in the mouth
Preliminary or mixedIn 73 adult volunteers, a homemade clove gel and a 20% benzocaine gel both scored lower pain than placebo, with no difference between them.
Supplements: Gel on the gum only; not food, and not a toothache study.
Dry socket after tooth removal
Not enough evidenceA 2026 narrative review found 8 recent clinical articles on clove and other herbal products and called them promising, with standard doses still missing.
Supplements: Dental products only; evidence is thin and not graded.
Effects in cells and animals (infection, inflammation, cancer, others)
Lab or animal research onlyReviews report many effects of clove extract, oil and eugenol against microbes and in cell and animal models.
Supplements: Lab or animal findings; do not apply to food amounts or supplements.
Body weight and blood fats (rats)
Lab or animal research onlyOne 28-day rat study found less weight gain with a clove alcohol extract.
Supplements: Animal only.
Connected topics
Open a group to see how each topic connects and how strong the evidence is.
Body systems (2)
- Hepatic / Liver SystemDocumented risk
Clove oil has caused liver failure or liver cell death in young children.
- Pain & InflammationPreliminary or mixed
Pain relief in dental settings with clove oil, eugenol or gel; evidence is limited.
Body parts (3)
- LiverDocumented risk
Clove oil caused liver damage in toddlers; this is about the oil, not the spice in cooking.
- LungsDocumented risk
Smoke from clove cigarettes was linked to severe lung injury in a few susceptible people.
- SkinDocumented risk
Eugenol can irritate skin and cause allergic contact dermatitis.
Functional actions (1)
- Pain ReliefPreliminary or mixed
Dental studies of clove oil or eugenol and a clove gel report less pain than placebo; they are small and not about the spice in food.
Root causes (1)
- Medication Side EffectsDocumented risk
A theoretical bleeding interaction with blood thinners is noted for clove oil; not shown in people in the sources read.
Conditions & symptoms (3)
- Disseminated Intravascular CoagulationDocumented risk
A 2-year-old developed this clotting disorder after swallowing clove oil (single case report).
- ToothachePreliminary or mixed
Clove oil or eugenol shows promise for dental pain in small studies; the EU found only traditional use. See a dentist for tooth pain.
- Contact DermatitisDocumented risk
Eugenol can cause allergic contact dermatitis, mostly in dental workers.
Documented risks and interactions (5)
- Clove oil poisoning in young children. Swallowing clove oil has caused serious liver damage and a clotting disorder in toddlers.
- Possible bleeding effect with blood thinners. Clove oil reduced platelet clumping in laboratory tests; the EU assessor called a blood-thinner interaction theoretical for short-term dental use.
- Skin and mouth irritation, contact allergy. Eugenol can irritate skin and gums and cause allergic contact dermatitis, mostly described in dental workers.
- Clove cigarettes and lung injury. Clove cigarettes are tobacco products; their smoke was linked to severe lung injury in a few susceptible people.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: no data. The EU assessment found no data on medicinal clove use in pregnancy or breastfeeding and does not recommend it.
Frequently asked questions
Are cloves sweet?
Only a little. They taste warm, pungent and earthy, with a touch of sweetness and some bitterness. [2]
How much is normal?
A teaspoon of ground cloves weighs 2.1 g. [13] One cooking guide uses about 1/4 teaspoon per cup of flour in baking, since more can taste metallic. [2]
Is it safe in pregnancy?
The European assessment found no data on medicinal use and does not recommend it. [16] The sources we read do not address cooking amounts, so ask your midwife or doctor.
Can I take it with medicines?
We found no problem reported for cloves in food. Clove oil reduced platelet clumping in lab work, so ask a pharmacist if you take blood thinners and want to use oil or supplements. [16]
Do cloves cure a toothache?
No. Dental studies of clove oil or eugenol look promising but limited, and they were not about the spice in food. [9] See a dentist for tooth pain.
Can I swallow clove oil?
No. Clove oil is far stronger than the spice and has caused liver and clotting problems in toddlers. [6][16]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety note at a glance
Safety in more detail
- Medicines: a lab study cited by the European assessment found clove oil reduced platelet clumping, and the assessor called any blood-thinner interaction theoretical for short-term dental use. [16] No source we read shows a problem with cloves in food. Ask a pharmacist if you take blood thinners and use clove oil or supplements.
- Pregnancy: the European assessment found no data and does not recommend medicinal use. [16] The sources we read do not address food amounts.
- Breastfeeding: the same assessment found no data for medicinal use. [16] We could not open a LactMed entry for cloves.
- Children: a 2-year-old developed a serious clotting disorder and liver cell death after swallowing clove oil. [6] The European assessment lists other young children with liver failure or coma after clove oil. [16]
- Allergy: reviews of spice allergy list mustard, celery, coriander, fennel, cumin, anise and pepper as the common culprits and do not name cloves. [7][8] Eugenol can cause skin irritation and allergic contact dermatitis, mostly described in dental workers. [11]
- Liver and kidney: liver failure is documented after clove oil in children. [6][16] Rats given a clove decoction for 90 days had changed liver enzymes. [16] The sources we read do not describe kidney problems.
- Surgery: no surgery-specific study found. Because of the theoretical bleeding effect of the oil, tell the surgical team about clove products. [16]
- Quality and contamination: the sources we read do not describe contamination of ground cloves.
- Amounts that cause trouble: a review says a FAO/WHO expert committee set 2.5 mg per kg of body weight as a daily intake for eugenol or clove oil, but that review does not clearly separate an official limit from a "safe dose," and we did not open the committee's own report. [11] Clove cigarettes are tobacco products; the American Medical Association linked their smoke to severe lung injury in a few people and says eugenol's numbing action may have played a part. [5]
References
- Wikipedia — Clove (cites FAO, culinary and botanical sources). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clove (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Sonshine Kitchen — Whole cloves and ground cloves: uses, substitute, and more (a cooking blog; single culinary source for amounts, storage and substitutes). https://www.sonshinekitchen.com/whole-cloves-and-ground-cloves-uses-substitute-and-more/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Batiha GE et al. — Syzygium aromaticum L. (Myrtaceae): traditional uses, bioactive constituents, pharmacological and toxicological activities. Biomolecules 2020; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32019140/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Alqareer A et al. — The effect of clove and benzocaine versus placebo as topical anesthetics. J Dent 2006; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16530911/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Council on Scientific Affairs, AMA — Evaluation of the health hazard of clove cigarettes. JAMA 1988; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3057254/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Disseminated intravascular coagulation and hepatocellular necrosis due to clove oil. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis 1992; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1450336/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Spices, herbs and allergic reactions in children: a narrative review. Front Allergy 2025; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41306764/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Allergic reactions to spices: a review of sensitivities to pepper, cumin, oregano, anise, mustard and other spices. Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol 2026; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40341008/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Analgesic efficacy of phytotherapeutic agents in dental pain management: a systematic review. 2025; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41322706/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- An update on herbal remedies for treatment of alveolar osteitis: a narrative review. 2026; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41558540/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Biological properties and prospects for the application of eugenol — a review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8036490/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- EMA (EU) — Caryophylli flos, herbal medicinal product page. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/caryophylli-flos (accessed 2026-10-24)
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (April 2018) — Spices, cloves, ground (fdc_id 171321), per-100 g values and household portions from the site's USDA data file.
- FDA (US) — Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels. https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/daily-value-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Comparative effect of cardamom and clove on body weight and nutritional status in obese experimental animals. 2025; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41341469/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Our herb guide, Cloves (/herbs-botanicals/cloves), which summarizes the EMA/HMPC final assessment report EMA/HMPC/534946/2010 (2011). We could not read the PDF text in this session, so these points rest on the herb guide.