Overview of Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) & its Importance

Welcome to another amazing time here. Another moment to talk about an interesting agro item in the community. For now, I will look at one important flower bud native to Indonesia, but also grown in the tropical regions.

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Cloves are one sweet-smelling flower bud, dark brown or black in colour, and botanically known as Syzygium aromaticum. I have known this sweet aromatic flower bud over the years due to its culinary use in the home. One beneficial ingredient that has played host in the kitchen.

I could remember each time the local delicacy "yam pepper" is prepared, it is one ingredients that play host to the premium aroma we perceive during boiling. This is also similar to that of our zobo juice (hibiscus mixture), when prepared, the cloves are an essential ingredient due to their nutritional content.

These cloves are small and can also be ground before adding to our mixture or used directly without mashing. In most of our locally made spices, cloves are found in this mixture. They have been used in different use cases with notable outcomes of their inclusion. Examples are mulled wines, beverages, and teas.

Cloves are known for their diverse health benefits given the ingredients found in them. Let's look at some of these health benefits;

. Cloves contain antioxidant properties that help reduce oxidative stress in the body, which can be harmful if unchecked.

. Cloves also contain anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce inflammatory and painful conditions. That is to say, with cloves, incidences of tumours and cancerous growths are reduced to their lowest.

. The good digestive aids are when used in our meals. Cloves promote digestive health and improve gastrointestinal issues.

. Lastly, I won't fail to mention one of its essential health benefits to humans, which is improving dental health. It is known to improve dental-related issues, with tooth aches primarily handled.

Let's also look at the growing pattern of these flower buds. The clove tree is grown mainly in warm and humid areas. The tropical and subtropical regions of the world can grow cloves. A well-drained and fertile soil type is ideal for its growth with a pH between 5 and 7.

The clove tree is observed with a growth length between 8 and 13 meters and should be quick to harvest the flower buds before they bloom. And when we do, we should dry it up to increase the shelf life and maintain its nutritional content.

In preserving cloves, we have to ensure they are well dried as soon as we harvest them, and store them in an air-tight container. This is to enable the preservation of the aroma and flavour. So, we would also prefer grinding these buds for their freshness and best flavours.

In conclusion, clove spices have continued to thrive because of their flavours and aroma when used. It is one important ingredient that continues to impact humans from both its culinary and health benefits. It has continued to be essential in our kitchens around the world because of its different use cases.