Cloves and Diabetes

Cloves are high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals; hence, adding them to your food might help you obtain several essential elements. According to the USDA, one teaspoon (2.1 g) of powdered clove spice contains 5.75 calories, 1.38 g of carbohydrates, 0.712 g of fiber, and accounts for 55% of the Daily Value of manganese. Research has shown that manganese supplementation can increase insulin secretion, improve the functioning of the enzyme system (essential for food metabolism), and improve glucose metabolism. Moreover, the reasonably high fiber and the low-carb contents help manage diabetes in specific ways.

Cloves contain several nutrients that are essential in lowering the risks of diabetic health, as highlighted below.

Abundant in Antioxidants

Sufficient intake of antioxidants plays an essential role in protection against diabetes. Diabetic problems can impair the immune system; thus, a potent antioxidant like polyphenol (contained in cloves) could assist diabetic people in coping better with their illnesses.

Cloves also contain eugenol, a chemical that was found to be five times more effective than vitamin E at preventing oxidative damage caused by free radicals in a test tube research.

Boosts Insulin Function and Regulates Blood Glucose

One of the unique functions of cloves for diabetic patients is its ability to enhance the action of insulin in regulating blood sugar levels. Research proves that its nigericin content decreases insulin resistance mediated by free fatty acids in mice.

Cloves also include chemicals that may help keep blood sugar under control. Notably, clove extract was discovered to help mice with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels in animal research focused on the relationship between cloves and diabetes.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Diabetes is one of the chronic diseases mediated by inflammation. Thankfully, cloves have anti-inflammatory characteristics—due to their eugenol content—that may alleviate the worst effects of diabetes. The efficacy of this chemical as a pain reliever has been demonstrated in several pieces of research.

Enhances Appetite

Most diabetes patients experience a loss of appetite, not because they don't want to eat, but because their diets limit them from eating their favorite foods. The easiest method to deal with diabetes is to keep track of your regular eating habits. For some reason, cloves have a distinct flavor that may aid in increasing the flavor of a dish and, as a result, a considerable increase in appetite.

Enhances Liver Function

Diabetes raises the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition where your liver accumulates excess fat despite zero alcohol intake. More than 50% of type 2 diabetes patients have this problem.

Cloves' medicinal components have been shown in studies to aid liver health. Cloves are also high in antioxidants, which may help prevent liver disease by reducing oxidative stress.

Anti-Obesity Properties

Cloves are one of the spices advised for people on a diet since they have anti-obesity effects. Since obesity is a prevalent risk factor for diabetes, optimal consumption of cloves might help keep diabetes at bay.

Regulates Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol is one of the disorders that can aggravate the condition of diabetic people. However, cloves contain polyphenols, which may assist individuals with diabetes to maintain their cholesterol levels by reducing the synthesis of LDL (bad cholesterol) and enhancing the synthesis of HDL (good cholesterol).

Animal studies have discovered that the chemicals in cloves may have various health benefits, including supporting liver health and helping to balance blood sugar levels.

A review of studies showcased at Experimental Biology 2006 revealed that diabetic individuals who take cloves daily are likely to lower blood sugar levels in the bloodstream. There are two reasons for this — the pancreas produces insulin optimally, and cloves include characteristics that work in an insulin-like fashion to decrease blood sugar levels. Another outstanding discovery was that type 2 diabetics who ate the equivalent of one to two cloves per day had lower cardiovascular and diabetes risk factors.

Similarly, a 2019 study found that taking 250 mg of a clove extract rich in polyphenol daily after lunch reduced after-meal glucose spikes in healthy and pre-diabetic persons.

Here are some great ways to include this tasty spice into your cooking:

• Make pumpkin pie with ground cloves
• Use cloves in rubs to season meats
• To make spicy pickles, add whole cloves to the pickling mix
• Cloves should be a must-have ingredient in curry
• Another way of making the most of clove is with clove tea