✪ Key Takeaway: Cloves may help lower blood pressure through compounds that relax blood vessels, but should complement medical treatment.
Introduction
You walk past the spice rack and notice that small jar of cloves sitting there untouched for months.
You might be asking this question because your doctor mentioned your blood pressure numbers are creeping up, or perhaps you want natural ways to support your heart health without immediately jumping to medication.
Hi, I am Abdur, your nutrition coach, and today I am going to explain how cloves may influence blood pressure, what science actually says about their effectiveness, and whether you should add them to your daily routine.
What Makes Cloves Potentially Beneficial for Blood Pressure?
Cloves contain a powerful compound called eugenol that makes up about 70 to 90 percent of clove oil.
This compound acts as a natural calcium channel blocker, which means it prevents calcium from entering the cells of your heart and blood vessel walls.
When calcium cannot enter these cells easily, your blood vessels relax and widen, allowing blood to flow more freely with less pressure against vessel walls.
Research published in the Journal of Food and Drug Analysis found that eugenol reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in animal studies through this exact mechanism.
Cloves also contain high levels of antioxidants called polyphenols that fight oxidative stress in your blood vessels.
Oxidative stress damages the inner lining of blood vessels, making them stiff and narrow, which forces your heart to pump harder to move blood through your body.
By reducing this damage, cloves help maintain the flexibility and health of your blood vessels, supporting normal blood pressure levels over time.
✪ Fact: Cloves rank among the highest antioxidant spices, containing more antioxidants per gram than many superfoods like blueberries.
What Does Research Actually Show About Cloves and Blood Pressure?
A study in the Egyptian Journal of Food Science examined the effects of clove consumption on blood pressure in human participants.
Participants who consumed clove powder daily showed modest reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings after several weeks.
However, the reductions were not dramatic enough to replace conventional blood pressure medications in people with diagnosed hypertension.
Another research review in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies found that clove extracts demonstrated blood pressure lowering effects in laboratory and animal studies.
The challenge is that most human studies used relatively small sample sizes and short durations, making it difficult to draw definitive conclusions about long-term effectiveness.
What we can say confidently is that cloves show promising potential as a complementary approach to blood pressure management, especially for people with prehypertension or those looking to prevent high blood pressure.
The evidence suggests cloves work best when combined with other lifestyle changes like reducing sodium intake, increasing physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight rather than being used as a standalone treatment.
✪ Note: Most studies showing blood pressure benefits used concentrated clove extracts rather than whole cloves consumed in normal cooking amounts.
How Much Cloves Should You Consume for Blood Pressure Benefits?
The research studies that showed blood pressure benefits typically used between one to three grams of clove powder daily.
To put this in perspective, one gram of ground cloves equals roughly half a teaspoon, which is actually quite a substantial amount considering how strong cloves taste.
Most people use cloves sparingly in cooking because of their intense flavor, making it challenging to consume therapeutic amounts through diet alone.
You could add ground cloves to your morning oatmeal, blend them into smoothies, sprinkle them on roasted vegetables, or brew clove tea by steeping whole cloves in hot water.
Some people chew one or two whole cloves daily, which releases the beneficial compounds slowly as you chew and allows for better absorption.
However, consuming large amounts of cloves can cause digestive discomfort, mouth irritation, or interact with certain medications, especially blood thinners.
Start with small amounts like a quarter teaspoon of ground cloves daily and gradually increase if you tolerate it well, always paying attention to how your body responds.
✪ Pro Tip: Combine cloves with cinnamon and ginger in warm water for a heart-healthy spice tea that tastes pleasant and delivers multiple beneficial compounds.
Are There Any Risks or Side Effects to Consider?
Cloves are generally safe when consumed in normal culinary amounts, but excessive consumption can lead to problems.
The eugenol in cloves has blood-thinning properties, which means consuming large amounts alongside blood-thinning medications like warfarin could increase bleeding risk.
If you are scheduled for surgery, you should stop consuming therapeutic amounts of cloves at least two weeks before the procedure to prevent excessive bleeding.
Clove oil applied directly to skin or consumed in concentrated form can cause burns, tissue damage, or allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.
People with liver disease should be particularly cautious because high doses of eugenol have been linked to liver toxicity in rare cases.
Children and pregnant women should avoid consuming cloves in amounts beyond normal cooking use because safety data for these populations remains limited.
Always inform your doctor if you plan to use cloves therapeutically, especially if you take blood pressure medications, because combining them could cause your blood pressure to drop too low.
✪ Note: Never replace prescribed blood pressure medication with cloves without consulting your healthcare provider, as uncontrolled hypertension poses serious health risks.
What Other Lifestyle Changes Work Better Than Cloves Alone?
Cloves work best as part of a comprehensive approach to blood pressure management rather than a magic bullet solution.
Reducing your sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams daily has a more significant impact on blood pressure than any single spice or supplement.
Regular physical activity for at least 150 minutes weekly causes your blood vessels to become more flexible and responsive, lowering blood pressure through improved circulation.
Losing even five to ten pounds if you are overweight can reduce blood pressure substantially because your heart does not have to work as hard to pump blood through your body.
Managing stress through meditation, deep breathing, or yoga helps lower cortisol levels, which directly affects blood vessel constriction and blood pressure regulation.
Getting seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night allows your body to regulate blood pressure naturally during rest periods.
Think of cloves as one small tool in your toolbox, not the entire solution, and focus on building sustainable habits that address the root causes of high blood pressure rather than searching for quick fixes.
✪ Pro Tip: Track your blood pressure at home consistently to see which lifestyle changes actually move the needle for your unique body.
The Bottom Line
Cloves contain compounds that may support healthy blood pressure through blood vessel relaxation and reduced inflammation, but they should complement rather than replace proven treatments.
Health is built through consistent small actions, not magical ingredients, and cloves represent just one piece of a much larger puzzle that includes diet, exercise, stress management, and medical care when needed.
I would love to hear your thoughts on using spices for health or any questions you have about natural approaches to blood pressure management, so please share your experiences in the comments below.
References
At NutritionCrown, we use quality and credible sources to ensure our content is accurate and trustworthy. Below are the sources referenced in writing this article:
- National Center for Biotechnology Information: Antioxidant Properties of Clove
- Egyptian Journal of Food Science: Effect of Cloves on Blood Pressure
- BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies: Clove Extract and Cardiovascular Health
- McCormick Science Institute: Potential Health Benefits of Cloves
Can one use clove powder? If yes, then how much? And how much dried clove can one use? A teaspoonful? Should it be boiled or put in hot water?
Thank you for your question, Kepher. Yes, you can use clove powder. The typical dosage is 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon daily, equivalent to 0.5-1 gram. For dried whole cloves, use 1-3 cloves per day.
To prepare, add the powder or whole cloves to hot (not boiling) water:
Powder: Steep 1/8-1/4 teaspoon in hot water for 5-10 minutes.
Whole cloves: Steep 1-3 cloves for 10-15 minutes.
While a 2015 study showed benefits with 2.5 grams daily, this is higher than typically recommended. Always consult your doctor before adding supplements, especially if you’re on blood pressure medication. Cloves can complement, but shouldn’t replace, prescribed treatments.