Quick Answers
Cloves can be eaten raw, but they have a very strong and spicy flavor that may be too intense for some people. Eating 1-2 whole cloves is unlikely to cause harm in healthy adults. However, regularly consuming large amounts of raw cloves may cause digestive issues. Cooking cloves mellows their flavor. Overall, cloves are safe to eat but are best enjoyed in moderation.
Cloves are the dried, unopened flower buds of the Syzygium aromaticum tree. They are a popular spice used to flavor sweets, meats, curries and many other savory dishes. Cloves have a very potent, warm and slightly bitter taste that provides a burst of flavor. They also contain antioxidants and have antimicrobial properties.
But can you safely eat cloves raw? Or are they better cooked before eating? This article provides a detailed look at eating raw cloves – exploring their intensely spicy flavor, potential benefits, risks and side effects. We’ll also compare raw versus cooked cloves.
The Intense Flavor of Raw Cloves
Cloves have an extremely bold, spicy and pungent flavor when eaten raw. Their taste is often described as warm, numbing, woody and bittersweet. The potent flavor comes from eugenol, the main active compound in cloves.
In whole form, cloves are very hard and crunchy. Chewing releases more of their essential oils, creating a fiery blast of flavor that spreads throughout the mouth. Their hardness makes cloves unpleasant to eat in large quantities.
Even ground cloves have a strong taste. Just 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves packs a punch and can overpower other ingredients. That’s why cloves are best used sparingly in recipes.
Comparisons With Other Spices
The intensity of cloves compares to other pungent spices, such as:
- Black peppercorns
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Mustard seeds
However, cloves have a more bitter, astringent taste than these other spices. If a recipe calls for just 1 or 2 cloves, it’s because their flavor is so assertive. You only need a little to get that quintessential clove zing.
Numbing Effect
The spiciness of cloves produces a numbing, anesthetic-like effect in the mouth. This is caused by eugenol, which blocks pain receptors on the tongue. Products containing eugenol, such as clove oil, are sometimes used by dentists as a topical anesthetic.
The numbing effect of cloves allows you to fully experience their flavor without being overwhelmed by the pungency. However, the sensation may be unpleasant or alarming for those new to cloves.
Potential Benefits of Raw Cloves
Cloves are rich in antioxidants and have antimicrobial properties that may offer certain benefits when eaten raw. However, research is limited and mainly based on clove oil or animal studies.
Antioxidants
Cloves contain high amounts of antioxidants, including gallic acid, flavonoids, anthocyanins and ellagic acid. Antioxidants help neutralize unstable molecules called free radicals that can damage cells if too many accumulate in your body.
Research shows that the antioxidants in cloves have strong radical scavenging activity, meaning they can effectively neutralize free radicals. This helps reduce oxidative stress in your cells.
Antimicrobial Effects
The essential oils in cloves, including eugenol, have powerful antibacterial and antifungal effects. Test-tube studies have found that clove extracts can inhibit up to 15 different bacterial strains, including E. coli and Salmonella.
Research also shows that the eugenol in cloves acts as an antiseptic against oral microbes that cause tooth decay and gum disease. That’s why you’ll often see clove oil as an ingredient in natural toothpastes.
Keep in mind that using cloves or clove products on your gums may cause irritation and sensitivity in some people.
Other Potential Benefits
Some additional potential benefits of the compounds in raw cloves include:
- Anti-inflammatory effects
- Pain relief
- Lowered blood sugar levels
- Increased insulin sensitivity
- Improved liver health
However, most research is limited to test-tube and animal studies using isolated compounds. Human studies are needed to confirm these potential benefits.
Risks and Side Effects of Eating Too Many Raw Cloves
While cloves are safe when used in small amounts for culinary purposes, regularly exceeding recommended serving sizes may cause undesirable effects. Below are some risks and side effects to be aware of if you eat too many raw cloves.
Digestive Issues
Eating a high number of raw cloves may irritate the lining of your mouth, throat, stomach and intestines. The oil eugenol provides the irritating effect.
Ingesting too many cloves could lead to abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and intestinal gas or bloating. The hard, dried texture of whole cloves could also scratch your throat or upset your stomach.
Blood Thinning
Cloves contain compounds that have strong blood-thinning properties. Eugenol makes blood platelets less sticky and less likely to form clots.
In high amounts, this effect may increase bleeding risk. If you take blood thinners or are prone to bleeding disorders, limit your intake of raw cloves.
Mouth Ulcers
The antiseptic effect of cloves may also damage cells inside your mouth and digestive tract if you eat too many. Excess use of clove oil as a topical treatment has been linked to mouth ulcers.
Seizures
Extremely high oral doses of eugenol have been linked to seizures and brain damage in animals. Children appear most vulnerable to eugenol’s neurotoxic effects.
More research is needed, but it may be wise to avoid regularly letting young children ingest cloves.
Liver Damage
Animal studies suggest that ingesting very high amounts of eugenol may cause liver damage. But human toxicity data is lacking, and cloves are likely safe for the liver when used in normal culinary amounts.
Overall, regularly eating moderate amounts of cloves as a spice is unlikely to cause harm. But take care not to overdo it without speaking to your healthcare provider.
Eating Raw Versus Cooked Cloves
Cooking cloves helps mellow their intense flavor and decrease some of their potential side effects.
Here’s a comparison of raw versus cooked cloves:
Taste
Cooking significantly reduces the spicy bite of cloves and brings out more sweetness. Roasting, simmering or sautéing makes cloves easier to use liberally in dishes.
Digestibility
The hard texture and concentrated oils in raw cloves may irritate your mouth or upset your stomach if eaten in excess. Cooking softens cloves, making them gentler on digestion.
Safety
Due to their mellower flavor, you’re unlikely to overconsume cooked cloves. Heat also degrades some of the compounds linked to digestive issues, bleeding risk, neurotoxicity and liver damage at very high doses.
Nutrient loss
Some nutrients, such as vitamin C and antioxidants, are partly lost during cooking and heating. But cloves contain very little of these heat-sensitive nutrients to begin with.
Essential oils
Heating cloves releases more of their essential oils, especially eugenol, which enhances their fragrance and flavor.
Overall, cooking makes cloves more pleasant to eat in higher amounts while minimizing risks. But you can still get some benefits from eating 1-2 raw cloves.
How Many Cloves Can You Safely Eat Per Day?
There is no established upper limit for cloves. However, they are meant to be eaten in small culinary amounts.
Here are some general dosage recommendations:
- 2-3 whole cloves: Safe amount for most people to chew or cook with per day.
- 5-10 cloves: Reasonable upper limit if you enjoy their intense flavor.
- 15+ cloves: Inadvisable to eat this many in one day on a regular basis.
Consuming 15+ cloves per day long-term may irritate the gut, thin the blood, damage the liver or cause other adverse effects in sensitive people.
When using ground cloves, limit intake to about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon (0.5-1 gram) per day, or according to your tolerance.
It’s fine to occasionally eat a higher amount of cloves if a recipe calls for it. But make it the exception rather than the norm.
Recipe Ideas Using Raw Cloves
Here are some recipe ideas that use raw cloves:
Pickled Cloves
Add 2-3 whole cloves to a mason jar with apple cider vinegar, water, salt, peppercorns and shredded veggies or fruit like carrots, onions or pears. Refrigerate for 1-2 weeks before eating.
Spiced Tea
Simmer a few cloves in water with black tea leaves, then remove cloves before drinking. Add ginger, cinnamon, cardamom or star anise.
Orange and Cloves
Stud an orange with 6-8 whole cloves. Use it to infuse beverages like tea or mulled wine. Eat the orange slices and soft cloves afterward.
Roasted Nuts
Toss shelled nuts with olive oil, sea salt and 2-3 minced cloves. Roast at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned.
Compound Butter
Blend softened butter with 2-3 minced cloves and herbs like parsley, chives or rosemary. Chill in the fridge until firm, then spread on bread, meats or vegetables.
Precautions for Eating Raw Cloves
Here are some precautions to keep in mind when eating raw cloves:
- Avoid eating more than 5-10 cloves per day.
- Introduce cloves slowly if you’re not used to them.
- Stop eating them if you experience any side effects.
- Avoid eating an excessive amount of cloves if you’re on blood thinners.
- Don’t regularly let young children eat more than 1-2 cloves.
If in doubt, start conservatively with 1 clove and see how you tolerate it before increasing your intake.
Conclusion
Cloves have an intensely spicy and numbing flavor when eaten raw. Using 1-2 cloves to season foods is generally safe for healthy adults and provides antioxidant and antimicrobial benefits.
However, regularly eating cloves in excess may irritate your digestive system, increase bleeding risk, damage your liver or cause other side effects. For this reason, it’s best to use cloves in moderation.
Cooking cloves reduces their side effects and gives you more freedom to use them generously in recipes. Overall, cloves are a flavorful and functional spice that adds taste and nutrition when consumed responsibly.
