Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) is a spice that has traditionally been used as a food preservative and flavouring agent. Cloves grow as a tree, and the flow buds are collected and dried, and it is this part of the tree that is used as a spice. Clove originated in Indonesia, but commercial demand for clove has resulted in a much wider distribution of the plant. The plant has medicinal properties on account of its very high polyphenol content, something that confers significant antioxidant potential to the consumer. Polyphenols contained within cloves include eugenol, eugenol acetate and gallic acid, with eugenol being the main bioactive compound. Clove is rich in phytochemicals groups including flavonoids, hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids and hydroxyphenyl propens. As with many spices, the antioxidant content of clove is higher than most fruits and vegetables yet at the same time it is low in energy. The flavour of clove in combination with its antioxidant capacity and low energy content makes it ideal to add to other foods in order to increase the nutritional value.
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