Cloves
The clove plant produces dried, fully formed, unopened flower buds, and clove oil is derived
from these dried flower buds. Cloves have a distinctive fragrance. Eugenol, a substance found
in cloves, gives them their distinctive flavor. Clove stems are dried pieces of the clove stalks.
Clove buds have the same aromatic spicy flavor.
Nutritional facts of Cloves
According to U.S. Department of agriculture, 01 teaspoon ground cloves contains,
➢ 6 kilocalories
➢ 0.13 g of Protein
➢ 0.27g of total fat
➢ 1.38g of carbohydrate
➢ 0.7g of fiber
➢ And small amount of Manganese, Potassium and Vitamin K.
Benefits of Cloves
➢ Cloves are high in beta-carotene, which contributes to their rich brown color. The pigments in the carotene family are powerful antioxidants and provitamins. Carotene pigments can be converted into vitamin A, which is essential for eye health.
➢ Reduced inflammation – Cloves include a number of chemicals with anti-inflammatory effects. The most important of these chemicals is eugenol. Eugenol has been
demonstrated to lessen the inflammatory response in the body, which can help control symptoms and minimize the risk of diseases like arthritis.
➢ Fewer free radicals – Eugenol is an antioxidant as well. Antioxidants abound in cloves. These molecules aid in the battle against free radicals, which cause cell damage and disease. The antioxidants in cloves can help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain malignancies by eliminating free radicals from your system.
➢ Reduced Ulcers – Cloves can assist to prevent stomach ulcers.
➢ Improve liver functions
➢ Other uses: Cigarette industry as a flavoring agent.
Clove oil is used in perfumes
Provides flavor both sweet and savory food industr
Quality Specifications of Cloves
Cloves that have been properly dried are golden brown in color, but those that have been improperly dried are soft and pale brown with a yellowish mealy look and are referred to as “khuker” cloves.
The Sri Lanka Slandered Institute’s specifications are as follows:
| Gr 01 | Gr 02 | Gr 03 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khukker cloves max.% by mass | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| Cloves below 10mm length max.% by mass | 15 | 25 | NA |
| Extraneous matter max.% by mass | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Moisture max.% by mass | 12 | 12 | 14 |
Source: Department of export agriculture
Cloves handpicked – This grade of cloves is impurity-free, well-sorted manually with fewer than 10% headless cloves, free of coco-cloves / white cloves, and nearly no baby cloves.
Cloves grade 1 – This grade must always have at least 1% admixture, have very few baby cloves, be bright in color, and have a headless proportion of less than 25%.
Cloves FAQ – This clove grade is acceptable, with 3 to 4% admixture, and is slightly black / bright in color.
Handpicked quality cloves
