If you are looking for an easy antidote to an artery-clogging diet of bacon cheeseburgers and slabs of ribs, you won't find it in cloves. Research about the cholesterol-reducing effects of cloves remains limited, and the results are mixed. More importantly, scientists don't know whether you can safely take large amounts of cloves to treat cholesterol or other medical problems. Talk to your doctor before taking cloves as a dietary supplement.
Cholesterol
A cholesterol blood screening test reveals the presence of three types of lipids -- low-density lipoprotein, also known as LDL or "bad" cholesterol; high-density lipoprotein, sometimes called "good" cholesterol because it helps remove harmful cholesterol from your bloodstream; and triglycerides, a type of fat that acts similarly to LDL cholesterol in your arteries. Aim to keep your LDL cholesterol below 130 mg/dl, your HDL cholesterol above 60 mg/dl and your triglycerides below 150 mg/dl -- milligrams per deciliter of blood. Ideally, adding cloves to your diet would reduce your LDL and triglyceride levels and boost your levels of heart-protective HDL cholesterol.
Studies
Cloves helped improve LDL, HDL and triglyceride levels in rabbits, according to a study published in the "Journal of Medicinal Medicine" in April 2011. S.B. Sharma and other researchers at the University of Delhi in India fed diabetic rabbits an extract of Eugenia jambolana -- cloves. But drinking clove tea did not improve cholesterol levels in humans with diabetes, according to a small study led by C.C. Teixeira, a researcher at Brazil's Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. A group of 27 patients drank tea containing either cloves or a placebo. At the end of the 28-day trial, persons who drank clove tea showed no significant differences in their cholesterol levels than those who drank other types of tea, according to the report in the February 2006 edition of "Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics."
Lowering Cholesterol
If you want to lower your cholesterol, proven methods include losing weight, exercising and changing your eating habits. Losing just 5 lbs. to 10 lbs. and exercising moderately about 150 minutes a week can improve your LDL, HDL and triglycerides. Limit dietary cholesterol to 200 mg to 300 mg a day, limit saturated fat to 16 mg to 22 mg a day, restrict trans fat to 2 grams a day and include no more than 100 to 200 calories daily from foods with added sugar.
Considerations
People take cloves, including clove oil, orally for a variety of purposes such as relieving toothaches, nausea, gas and diarrhea. Evidence remains insufficient to rate the effectivenss of cloves for any of these purposes, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the National Institutes of Health. As a topical treatment, clove oil may help prevent premature ejaculation. Children should not take clove oil by mouth as side effects such as liver damage and seizures may occur.
References
- "Journal of Medicinal Food"; Antihyperlipidemic Effect of Active Principle Isolated from Seed of Eugenia Jambolana on Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rabbits; S.B. Sharma, et al.; April 2011
- "Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics"; The Efficacy of Folk Medicines in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Syzygium Cumini (L.) Skeels; C.C.Teixeira; February 2006
- MayoClinic.com: High Cholesterol: Tests and Diagnosis; June 24 2010
- MayoClinic.com: Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines; February 2011
- American Heart Association: Diet, Lifestyle Changes Can Significantly Reduce Triglyceride; April 18 2011
- MayoClinic.com: High Cholesterol -- Lifestyle and Home Remedies; June 1, 2011
