Extracted from the buds and leaves of the clove tree, the warm, spicy scent of clove oil has long been considered a staple of the festive season.

Commonly known as a household spice alongside the likes of cinnamon and nutmeg, clove’s strong yet pleasant aroma is often used to create feelings of warmth and comfort.

While clove is perhaps most famous for its benefits to cooking, clove essential oil - ranging from clear to a pale yellow in colour - also has its fair share of powerful properties for our wellness.

Clove Bud vs Clove Leaf

In spite of their different extractions, these two clove extracts have more or less the same benefits, with just a few key differences between them:

• Of the two, clove bud oil is more potent, with higher levels of eugenol. This gives it a stronger, spicier scent, along with more powerful effects.
• However, it is not recommended for topical usage as its potency can make it less safe.
• Clove leaf oil, on the other hand, whilst being milder in scent and effect, is safe to apply to the skin when diluted.
• For this reason, clove bud oil is typically used in aromatherapy, whereas clove leaf oil is substituted for topical use.

What are the health benefits of Clove Essential Oil?

Like many essential oils, both clove leaf and clove bud carry a wide range of benefits for the mind and body. Some benefits of clove oil include positive impact on:

• The immune system
• Oral health
• Gut health
• Skin health

What does clove bud do for the immune system?

Many studies have documented the infection-fighting, immune-boosting effects of clove oil - both bud and leaf.

A study in 2005 found that clove oil was very effective against candida infections, and a further study in 2012 found that it was also effective against staph infections.

Clove has been shown to help boost the immune system and aid its fight against cold and flu symptoms, and its constituent eugenol has been shown to have inhibitory effects on oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, which helps to prevent cell damage in the body.

It’s also been shown that clove has nearly thirty times the antioxidant stress of blueberries – a popular antioxidant food – allowing it to fight free radicals in the body and reverse the damage they cause.

Can clove oil help ease toothache?

When you ask yourself "what is clove oil used for?", it is likely you'll think of oral health as the primary benefit.

That's partially because the Chinese have been applying clove to ease toothache and dental erosion for over two thousand years, and thus clove oil uses in this way have become infamous.

Clove oil has been shown to combat a painful tooth by numbing nerves in the mouth for about two to three hours, providing temporary relief.

These effects are so well-established that a study in 2006 even showed clove oil to have the same numbing effects as the commonly used dental numbing agent, benzocaine.

Clove bud oil should never be applied to the gums, however, and before using clove leaf oil orally for pain relief you should always seek advice from a medical professional.

Using clove essential oil to promote gut health

Applied topically to the abdomen, clove bud oil has been found to help to treat a number of issues surrounding gut health - including indigestion, stomach pain, motion sickness, bloating, and flatulence.

A study in 2018 found that clove can help prevent ulcers from forming in the digestive system by enhancing gastric mucus production and protecting the lining of the digestive tract.

Many people have found that clove bud oil has provided gastric relief from a range of complaints.

Does clove oil protect the skin?

Clove oil is an anti-bacterial, an anti-fungal and an anti-inflammatory, meaning topical application could help prevent some common skin issues and fungal infections like cold sores.

An aforementioned study conducted in 2012 found that clove oil effectively fights against the S. aureus bacteria strain – one of several strains associated with acne and other similar infections.

Another study in 2017 discovered that clove is also effective against chronic itching, significantly relieving the irritation and sensation on the skin.

It’s important to note that, while both clove oils have antimicrobial properties, only clove leaf essential oil should ever be applied to the skin. Learn more about if you should use clove oil whilst pregnant, or during the menopause.

History of Clove Essential Oil

Cloves have been a part of Chinese medicine since at least 226BC – it was documented at the time that anyone wanting to speak to the emperor had to chew on the clove spice as well as dried flower buds beforehand to prevent bad breath.

Clove was also revered on the Spice Islands, and locals would traditionally plant a clove tree when a child was born, linking the child’s life to life cycle of the tree.

Whether you choose to add clove bud oil, clove leaf oil, or both to your medicine collection, by keeping this handy bottle of oil within reach you will be participating in a medicinal tradition stretching back thousands of years.

Clove oil’s warming spiciness hosts a range of health benefits, and can help to keep you healthy well past the festive season.

Buy clove oil here.