Drink Clove Water for 30 Days: 8 Things That May Happen to Your Body
Cloves are a small spice with a surprisingly strong aroma and flavor. They have been used traditionally in cooking and herbal preparations for generations, and today clove water is often promoted online as a simple wellness drink.
You may have seen claims that drinking clove water every day for 30 days can “clean the blood,” destroy parasites, burn fat, improve the kidneys, balance hormones, or transform the body.
Some of these claims are exaggerated.
Cloves do contain interesting natural compounds, particularly eugenol, a plant compound with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. But drinking clove water is not a proven cure for disease, and there is no scientific rule saying that exactly 30 days of drinking it will produce eight specific changes.
Still, when consumed appropriately, a mild clove infusion can be an enjoyable addition to a balanced diet.
Here are eight things that may happen—or may potentially be supported—when you drink clove water regularly.
1. You May Notice Better Digestion
Cloves have traditionally been used as a digestive spice.
Some people drink a mild clove infusion after meals because the warm liquid and aromatic compounds may feel soothing to the digestive system.
Cloves contain compounds that can interact with the gastrointestinal system, but this doesn’t mean that clove water will cure digestive disorders.
If you experience occasional digestive discomfort, a small amount of clove water may be pleasant, but persistent abdominal pain, severe bloating, vomiting, or ongoing changes in bowel habits should not simply be treated with herbal drinks.
2. Your Mouth May Feel Fresher
Cloves have a long history of use in traditional oral care.
Their strong aroma comes partly from eugenol, which has antimicrobial properties. This is one reason clove-derived ingredients have been used in certain dental products.
Drinking clove water, however, isn’t a substitute for brushing your teeth, flossing, or receiving professional dental care.
If you have persistent bad breath, bleeding gums, tooth pain, or swelling, the underlying cause should be addressed rather than covered up with spices.
3. You Get Antioxidant Plant Compounds
One of the more interesting properties of cloves is their concentration of plant compounds with antioxidant activity.
Antioxidants help protect cells from oxidative stress caused by reactive molecules produced naturally in the body.
Cloves contain several bioactive compounds, with eugenol being one of the best known.
However, more is not necessarily better.
A stronger clove drink does not automatically provide greater health benefits. Concentrated herbal preparations can actually increase the risk of side effects.
4. It May Help Support a Healthy Inflammatory Response
Eugenol and other compounds found in cloves have demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in laboratory and experimental research.
This is interesting, but laboratory activity doesn’t automatically mean that drinking clove water will treat inflammation or an inflammatory disease in humans.
It’s more accurate to say that cloves contain compounds being studied for their biological effects.
A healthy diet containing a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and spices is much more important for long-term health than relying on one particular drink.
5. You May Enjoy Better Hydration
Sometimes the simplest benefit is overlooked.
If you prepare a mild clove infusion with water and drink it instead of sugary soda or another sweetened beverage, you are increasing your fluid intake while potentially reducing added sugar.
The benefit in that situation may come partly from the substitution itself.
For example, replacing a sugary drink with unsweetened clove water can reduce your intake of added sugar and calories.
That doesn’t make clove water a fat-burning drink, but it can be a useful beverage choice for someone who enjoys the flavor.
6. It May Affect Blood Sugar—But Don’t Treat It as Medicine
Cloves contain compounds that have been investigated for their possible effects on glucose metabolism.
Some experimental research has suggested that clove compounds may influence pathways involved in blood sugar regulation.
But this is very different from proving that drinking clove water every day prevents or treats diabetes.
People taking diabetes medications should be especially careful with concentrated herbal preparations because combining supplements or herbal products with medication can potentially affect blood glucose.
If you have diabetes or take medication for blood sugar control, don’t replace prescribed treatment with clove water.
