Safe to eat whole cloves?

Post Reply New Topic

I have been using whole cloves extensively in my cooking lately, but I am not sure if it is considered safe to eat them, or if they are just for flavoring like bay leaves. I am talking about the whole cloves that are sold in the spice section of the store btw. I have searched a bit online, and I have found conflicting information. Some sites say that it's perfectly fine and actually healthy to eat them, but others say that they contain highly addictive substances and can cause kidney/liver failure. Sooo, big difference lol. Does anyone know if they are safe to eat or not? And if you do, can you please provide a link to a reputable reference source confirming or denying their safety? Thanks!

I smoked the darn things for over a year, and everything is still working so far

You're right in saying there's a lot of conflicting information out there, I wasn't aware of all the controversy. As far as i've always believed, cloves are fine to eat. This website evaluating the effectiveness of them as an alternative treatment for cancer tends to agree, but also has health warnings, so my personal advice after doing some reading would be, as with most things in life, to take them in moderation.

http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatme ... als/cloves

I chew on cloves sometimes because I like the taste. I am not dead yet. I will check my pulse periodically and update you if cloves kill me.

_________________
http://www.facebook.com/eidetic.onus
http://eidetic-onus.tumblr.com/
Warning, my tumblr is a man-free zone

My French neighbour swears by them and eats raw cloves every day; doubt he eats whole cloves at a time though. Personally I prefer mine cooked and included in Italian, Indian and Chinese food.

I ate and enjoyed those things as a child and I'm still alive.