For many people, the smell of clove oil conjures up memories of various holidays. A warm spicy oil, clove is popular for warm winter drinks and spring baked ham. But this spice (and oil) has been popular for centuries and for much more than just cooking.

References to clove oil date back more than 2,000 years with the Chinese who used it for fragrances and spices. It was also one of the oils used for protection during the Bubonic Plaque and was known as a ‘protective’ spice, helping to keep people safe from the plaque.

As research on this oil continues, clove oil is growing in popularity again. To start off with, clove is a powerhouse in both antioxidant properties and anti-inflammation. Those two things alone have the ability to radically support the body in overall health and wellness.

Clove is the BEST Antioxidant Around

It contains more antioxidants than ANY other food.  Antioxidants help prevent (and sometimes even stop) damage done to cells by free radicals so a diet high in antioxidants is a good thing.  Nothing competes with the amount of antioxidants found in clove. Its ORAC value is 290,283 (ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. A simple way to think of this is that the higher the ORAC rating, the higher the food’s antioxidant properties and the better it is for us). To put this number in perspective, a good for you food like blueberries have an ORAC value of 6,552.

It’s widely accepted that foods high in antioxidants help to greatly reduce risks of some of the biggest issues that threaten our health and wellness in society today.

Clove is POWERFUL Inflammation Fighter

Clove oil is also known for its anti-inflammatory properties. One recent study published in the Journal of Immunotoxicology proved that the eugenol in clove oil is a powerful anti-inflammatory that helps reverse inflammation (Chami N, et al. Study of anticandidal activity of carvacrol and eugenol in vitro and in vivo. Oral Microbiol Immunol 2005; 20(2):106-11.) Since many health problems are caused or complicated by inflammation, clove oil is a good addition to health.

How to Use Clove Oil

Now that you know how amazing clove oil is, what is it actually good for and how do you use it? Here are a few different ways you can use clove oil to support your health:

Brain and liver support and immune support (apply diluted to the bottoms of feet or take internally in a capsule)

Circulation and hypertension (apply diluted to limbs to increase blood flow)

Thyroid and metabolism support (apply diluted over thyroid area or use internally in capsules)

To aid in stopping smoking (apply diluted with black pepper oil along tongue)

Immunity boosting (apply diluted topically along spine or use internally in capsule)

Cardiovascular health (use 1-3 drops internally in capsule)

To promote healthy skin and reduce blemishes (add 1-3 drops of clove oil to 2 teaspoons of raw honey and use to wash your face)

Tooth pain and cavities (dilute and apply topically to ease discomfort) The Journal of Dentistry published a study that proved clove oil had the same numbing effect as benzocaine (what they numb your gums with before sticking the needle in.)

Other research has shown clove oil significantly slows down tooth erosion. Add a drop to your toothpaste when you brush your teeth, or gargle with it by using one drop of oil in 4 oz of water. (If you’re using On Guard toothpaste, you’re brushing with clove oil already.) You could also add a drop of clove oil to your oil pulling practices.

You can add clove oil to your diffuser to promote a healthy environment and boost immunity. There are lots of good diffuser recipes out there that work well with clove oil.

General Usage and Precautions:

Because clove oil is a hot oil, it should be used with a carrier oil. It might bother sensitive skin, so try a small amount first to see how you do with it. If you are pregnant or nursing, chat with your doctor before using it. Avoid contact with eyes, inner ears and sensitive areas.

This oil can be used internally (dilute 1 drop in 4 oz of water), topically (dilute 1-2 drops in a carrier oil) or aromatically in a diffuser.

As always, remember we are NOT healthcare practitioners. DO NOT stop any medications and please use common sense. Essential oils are powerful natural based chemicals that should be treated with caution and respect. If you have questions, do your own research and talk to your doctor.