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Cloves are the dried, unopened flower buds of the clove tree, Syzygium aromaticum, and they are one of the most strongly flavored spices in the kitchen. Most claims about cloves benefits trace back to one compound, eugenol, and to lab studies of clove extracts and clove oil rather than to people eating the spice. As a food, ground cloves are used in small pinches, so their nutrition per serving is modest, with one standout: manganese. This guide covers USDA clove nutrition, how cooks use the cloves spice, what research in people does and does not show, and the one serious safety issue: clove oil, an essential oil that has caused severe poisoning in young children.
Peptide Labs does not sell cloves, clove oil or clove products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- Cloves are dried flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum; eugenol is the main compound in clove oil.
- In USDA data, one teaspoon of ground cloves supplies about 55% of the Daily Value for manganese and only small amounts of other nutrients.
- Human trials of cloves as a food are scarce; most research is lab and animal work on extracts and oil.
- Clove oil is a concentrated essential oil, not a seasoning; case reports describe liver failure and blood clotting problems in infants and toddlers who swallowed it.
- If a child swallows any essential oil, call Poison Control right away.
What are cloves?
The clove tree is an evergreen in the myrtle family, native to the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. Its flower buds are picked before they open and dried until they turn dark brown and hard, which gives them their nail-like shape. A whole clove has a round head (the unopened petals) on a short stem. Cloves are sold whole or ground, and the essential oil is distilled from the buds, stems or leaves.
The warm, numbing, slightly bitter taste comes mainly from eugenol. A 2025 chemical analysis of clove essential oil found eugenol made up about 81% of the oil, with eugenyl acetate and beta-caryophyllene next. The ground spice contains far less eugenol per bite than the oil does, which is the key to understanding both the flavor and the safety story below.
Clove nutrition per teaspoon (USDA)
Values below come from the USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entry for ground cloves (FDC ID 171321), scaled to USDA’s own teaspoon and tablespoon weights, with percent Daily Value (% DV) based on FDA Daily Values. Most recipes use a teaspoon or less for a whole dish, so a single serving usually contains a fraction of a teaspoon.
| Ground cloves (FDC 171321) | 1 tsp (2.1 g) | 1 tbsp (6.5 g) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 6 | 18 |
| Fiber | 0.7 g (3% DV) | 2.2 g (8% DV) |
| Manganese | 1.26 mg (55% DV) | 3.91 mg (170% DV) |
| Vitamin K | 3.0 mcg (2% DV) | 9.2 mcg (8% DV) |
| Calcium | 13 mg (1% DV) | 41 mg (3% DV) |
| Iron | 0.25 mg (1% DV) | 0.77 mg (4% DV) |
| Magnesium | 5 mg (1% DV) | 17 mg (4% DV) |
| Vitamin E | 0.19 mg (1% DV) | 0.57 mg (4% DV) |
Manganese is the clear standout. It is a trace mineral the body uses in several enzymes, and most people get it from whole grains, nuts, legumes, tea and spices. Everything else in a teaspoon of cloves is a small contribution. Here is how cloves compare with two other warm baking spices, per teaspoon of the ground spice in USDA data:
| Per 1 tsp ground (USDA FDC ID) | Grams | Calories | Fiber (% DV) | Manganese (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloves (171321) | 2.1 g | 6 | 0.7 g (3%) | 1.26 mg (55%) |
| Cinnamon (171320) | 2.6 g | 6 | 1.4 g (5%) | 0.45 mg (20%) |
| Nutmeg (171326) | 2.2 g | 12 | 0.5 g (2%) | 0.06 mg (3%) |
Cinnamon has its own evidence story, mostly about the difference between Ceylon and cassia types, which our cinnamon guide covers, and our cinnamon tea guide looks at the drink.
How to use the cloves spice
Whole cloves keep their flavor much longer than ground cloves, which lose aroma within months once the jar is open. Because the taste is so strong, cloves are almost always a supporting flavor:
- Baking and desserts: pumpkin pie spice, gingerbread, spice cake and mulled fruit usually pair ground cloves with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
- Drinks: whole cloves go into chai, mulled cider and mulled wine, then get strained out.
- Savory dishes: cloves appear in garam masala, Chinese five-spice, biryani, some curries, Vietnamese pho broth and the classic clove-studded holiday ham.
- Pickles and stocks: a few whole cloves stuck into an onion flavor stocks and sauces and are easy to fish out later.
Many cooks remove whole cloves before serving because they stay hard and woody even after long cooking. A small amount of the ground spice goes a long way; it can turn bitter and medicinal if overused. Our ginger guide covers the other spice that most often shares a recipe with cloves.
Cloves benefits: what research in people shows
There is a lot written about cloves benefits online, but the research base for eating cloves is thin. Here is an honest summary:
- Lab and animal work dominates. Reviews describe clove compounds (eugenol, eugenol acetate, gallic acid and flavonoids) with antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activity in lab tests. These results come from extracts and oils, often at concentrations no one reaches by seasoning food.
- Antioxidant scores are lab measures. Cloves rank high on lab antioxidant tests, which is why they appear in lists of antioxidant-rich foods. A high lab score does not show an effect in the body.
- Human food trials are scarce. We found no sizable human trial of cloves eaten as a food. A 2026 review of spices noted that the food matrix (fat, protein, fiber and sugar in a meal) strongly changes how spice compounds behave, one reason lab results do not translate directly to people.
- Food preservation has the strongest data. Two 2025 systematic reviews, of 37 and 43 studies, looked at clove essential oil added to meat products and found antimicrobial and antioxidant effects on the meat itself. That is food science about shelf life, not a health effect in the person eating it.
Clove also turns up in herbal “cleanse” blends next to wormwood and black walnut. There are no good human trials showing such blends remove parasites; our parasite cleanse guide explains why a lab test and a stool test from a clinician matter more than a cleanse. For another spice oil that is often oversold, see our oregano oil guide.
Clove oil: a safety topic, not a seasoning
Clove oil is an essential oil: a highly concentrated extract made mostly of eugenol. It is a completely different product from the spice in your cupboard. Essential oils are not food and are not meant to be swallowed, and clove oil has one of the worst records among them for poisoning in small children. Published case reports describe:
- A 7-month-old (1991) who developed nervous system depression, urine abnormalities and a severe acid buildup in the blood after accidentally being given clove oil.
- A 2-year-old (1992) who developed widespread blood clotting failure and liver cell death after swallowing clove oil.
- A 3-month-old (2004) and a 15-month-old (2005) who each developed sudden liver failure after swallowing a small amount of clove oil; both recovered after intensive hospital care.
The 2005 report also analyzed a UK national database and found a 14-fold rise in home accidents involving aromatherapy products between 1994 and 1999, concluding that clove oil warrants special attention. Small bottles, pleasant smells and missing child-resistant caps make essential oils easy for toddlers to drink.
- Store all essential oils up high and locked away, with caps closed, like medicines.
- If a child or adult swallows clove oil or any essential oil, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (US) right away, even if they seem fine. Call 911 for trouble breathing, a seizure, extreme sleepiness or collapse.
- Do not use clove oil as a home remedy by mouth. Folk use for toothache is common, but a sore tooth needs a dentist, and dental uses of eugenol happen under professional supervision.
Safety of cloves as a food
Ground and whole cloves in normal cooking amounts are a long-standing part of cuisines around the world. Cloves are not among the nine major food allergens that US labels must declare, but any spice can cause a reaction in some people; if you suspect one, see an allergist rather than testing yourself, and our elimination diet guide explains why. Clove capsules, extracts and teas made to concentrate the spice are a different situation from seasoning food, so talk to a clinician or pharmacist before using them, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have liver disease. For a spice pairing with better-studied absorption questions, see our turmeric and black pepper guide.
Our sibling guide to parsley covers a fresh herb with a very different nutrient profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main cloves benefits?
As a food, cloves add strong flavor with almost no calories, and USDA data show a teaspoon of ground cloves supplies about half the Daily Value for manganese. Health claims beyond that rest mostly on lab and animal studies.
How many calories are in a teaspoon of ground cloves?
About 6 calories per teaspoon in USDA data.
Is clove oil safe to swallow?
No. Clove oil is a concentrated essential oil and is not meant to be swallowed. Case reports describe liver failure and clotting problems in young children who drank it. Call Poison Control if anyone swallows it.
Are whole cloves or ground cloves better?
Whole cloves keep their flavor longer and are easy to remove from drinks and stocks; ground cloves blend into baked goods. Nutritionally they are the same spice.
What does eugenol do?
Eugenol gives cloves their warm, numbing taste. In the lab it shows antibacterial and antioxidant activity, but those tests do not show effects from eating cloves.
Do cloves help with parasites?
There are no good human trials showing that cloves or clove cleanse blends remove parasites. If you suspect a parasite, see a clinician for testing.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Parsley: Benefits, USDA Nutrition and Curly vs Flat Leaf, Ceylon vs Cassia Cinnamon: Coumarin, Blood Sugar Research and Safety, Nutmeg: Benefits, Nutrition, Nutmeg vs Mace and Toxicity, Allspice: What Is Allspice, Allspice Nutrition and an Allspice Substitute.