Kitchen Spice

Clove

SanskritLavangaBotanicalSyzygium aromaticumAlso calledCloves, Laung

A tiny dried flower bud with a big, numbing warmth, used in Ayurveda to wake up dull digestion and clear heavy kapha.

A clove is an unopened flower bud, picked pink and dried until it turns dark brown and hard as a tiny nail. Bite one and you will feel it right away: sharp, sweet-hot, and then a slight numbness on the tongue.

In Ayurveda, lavanga is a kapha spice. It cuts through heaviness, wakes up a sleepy appetite and opens the chest on damp, gray days. It is one of the warm spices in a good chai, and a single clove tucked into a pot of rice or dal changes the whole kitchen.

A little goes a long way. In cooking, two or three cloves are usually plenty.

Ayurvedic Properties

RasaTastes
  • Pungent
  • Bitter
ViryaHeating or cooling
Cooling
VipakaPost-digestive effect
Pungent
AgniEffect on digestion
Kindles agni

Pungent and aromatic, a small amount sharpens a dull appetite.

GunaQualities
  • Light
  • Sharp
  • Oily
TridoshaEffect on Vata, Pitta and Kapha
  • Vata: decreases, in moderation
  • Pitta: decreases, in moderation
  • Kapha: decreases
  • decreases (calms that dosha)
  • increases (can aggravate it)
  • neutral or balancing
  • not known
  • V Vata · P Pitta · K Kapha

Clove is best known for clearing kapha. Classical texts say it is cooling despite its bite, and call it kapha and pitta reducing, but many modern teachers describe it as warming and suggest pitta types use it lightly.

Traditional Uses

  • Traditionally used to support a healthy appetite and lively digestion.
  • Traditionally used to support comfortable digestion and less gas after heavy meals.
  • Traditionally used to support clear breathing on damp, heavy kapha days.
  • Traditionally used to support fresh breath and a clean-feeling mouth.

How People Use It

  • FoodAdd two or three whole cloves to rice, dal, stewed fruit or a pot of chai. Fish them out before serving.
  • TeaSimmer one or two cloves with ginger and cinnamon in water for a warming, kapha-clearing cup.
  • HoneyA small pinch of ground clove stirred into a spoon of honey is a traditional way to take it on damp days.
Try This

Simple Clove and Ginger Chai Spice Tea

A caffeine-free warming cup for heavy, damp afternoons.

  • 2 whole cloves
  • 2 thin slices fresh ginger
  • 2 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 1 small piece cinnamon stick
  • 2 cups water
  • Splash of milk and honey to taste (optional)
  1. Add the spices and water to a small pot and bring to a boil.
  2. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. The water will turn a warm amber.
  3. Add a splash of milk if you like and heat through.
  4. Strain into a mug and let it cool a little before stirring in honey.

Pairs Well With

Cautions

  • Clove in normal cooking amounts is generally considered safe. The cautions below apply to larger amounts, concentrated extracts and especially clove oil.
  • Clove oil should never be swallowed by children. Even small amounts have caused serious harm in young children, so keep it well out of reach.
  • Eugenol, the main compound in clove, may slow blood clotting. Avoid concentrated clove products if you have a bleeding disorder, take blood thinners, or have surgery coming up.
  • Clove oil can irritate or burn skin and gums. Always dilute it well, patch test first, and do not use it on broken skin.
  • Pregnant and breastfeeding women can enjoy clove in food, but should avoid medicinal amounts and clove oil.
  • Safety research on clove beyond food use is limited. Please consult a qualified practitioner or your doctor before using concentrated clove products.

From the Journal

Sources and Further Reading

This page shares how herbs are traditionally used in Ayurveda and other herbal traditions. It is for general education only and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and herbs are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please talk with your doctor or a qualified practitioner before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition.