Nutrition Diet: When Should You Avoid Cloves?

October 21, 2025 •

4 min read

Cloves contain eugenol, a potent compound that, while offering health benefits in small culinary amounts, can be problematic in higher concentrations. Knowing exactly when should you avoid cloves is crucial for safety and maintaining a healthy nutrition diet, particularly if you have pre-existing medical conditions or are taking certain medications.

Quick Summary

Certain health conditions, medications, and life stages necessitate avoiding or limiting cloves, especially concentrated forms like essential oil. These contraindications are crucial to prevent complications such as increased bleeding, liver toxicity, or dangerous interactions with drugs.

Key Points

Bleeding Disorders and Surgery: Avoid cloves, particularly concentrated forms, if you have a bleeding disorder or are awaiting surgery, due to eugenol's blood-thinning effect.
Diabetes and Hypoglycemia: Patients on antidiabetic medication should use caution, as cloves can lower blood sugar and cause dangerous hypoglycemia when combined with drugs.
Liver Disease: High doses of clove essential oil can be toxic to the liver; those with liver conditions should avoid concentrated clove products.
Risks for Children: Clove essential oil is toxic to children and can cause severe liver damage and seizures, even in small amounts.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Stick to small, culinary amounts of cloves and avoid medicinal doses, supplements, and essential oil due to a lack of safety data.
Drug Interactions: Be aware that cloves can interact with anticoagulants and medications processed by the liver; always consult a doctor before use.

The Potent Compounds in Cloves

Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of the Syzygium aromaticum tree, used widely as a spice. Their distinctive flavor and aroma come primarily from eugenol, a compound that is also responsible for many of their medicinal properties. While cloves have been prized for centuries for their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects, the concentration of eugenol, particularly in clove essential oil, is significantly higher than in the dried spice. This difference is key to understanding when moderation is necessary and when complete avoidance is the safer path.

Key Medical Conditions That Require Caution

For certain health conditions, the consumption of cloves—especially in supplemental or oil form—can pose a significant risk. Always consult with a healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, particularly if you have a chronic illness.

Bleeding Disorders and Surgical Procedures

One of the most critical reasons to avoid cloves is their impact on blood clotting. Eugenol acts as a blood thinner, and in medicinal doses, it can increase the risk of bleeding.

Individuals with bleeding disorders: People with conditions such as hemophilia or von Willebrand disease should steer clear of clove supplements and oils to prevent excessive bleeding.
Patients on anticoagulant medication: If you take blood-thinning medications like warfarin (Coumadin), aspirin, or other anticoagulants, adding high doses of cloves to your diet can amplify their effects and lead to dangerous bleeding or bruising.
Pre-surgery patients: To prevent complications during and after an operation, it is recommended to stop taking clove supplements at least two weeks before any scheduled surgery.

Diabetes and Hypoglycemia Risk

While some studies have shown that cloves may help lower blood sugar levels, this potential benefit becomes a serious risk for those managing diabetes with medication.

The eugenol in cloves can cause blood sugar levels to drop too low, a condition known as hypoglycemia.
Combining clove supplements with insulin or other antidiabetic drugs can lead to a dangerous and potentially life-threatening drop in blood sugar.

Liver Disease and Toxicity

High doses of clove essential oil can be toxic to the liver. This is a particular concern for children, who are more susceptible to severe side effects from even small amounts of the oil. Adults with pre-existing liver conditions or dysfunction should also exercise extreme caution or avoid concentrated clove products altogether, as excessive intake can stress the liver over time.

Special Considerations for Specific Populations

Children

Clove oil is considered highly unsafe for children, especially infants and toddlers. Even small amounts of ingested clove oil have been linked to severe side effects in children, including seizures, liver damage, and fluid imbalances. All clove oil products should be stored securely out of their reach.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Using cloves as a spice in food is generally considered safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as the amounts are very small. However, there is insufficient reliable information on the safety of using larger, medicinal quantities or supplements. To be safe, pregnant and breastfeeding individuals should stick to food amounts and avoid supplements or concentrated clove oil.

Drug Interactions to Watch Out For

Beyond blood thinners and diabetes medication, cloves can interact with other drugs. The body metabolizes certain medications using specific liver enzymes, and cloves can affect the rate at which the liver processes these drugs. This can alter the effectiveness or side effects of the medication. Some medications that may be affected include:

Medications changed by the liver, including certain antidepressants, pain relievers, and cholesterol-lowering drugs.
It is vital to speak with your doctor or pharmacist about any herbs, spices, or supplements you are taking to prevent harmful drug interactions.

Comparison of Clove Forms and Risks

Not all clove products carry the same level of risk. The concentration of active compounds, particularly eugenol, is the determining factor.


Feature	Culinary Cloves (Whole or Ground)	Clove Essential Oil / Supplements
Eugenol Concentration	Low to moderate.	Very high, up to 90% or more.
Safety in Moderation	Generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA when used as a flavoring agent in food.	Unsafe to ingest, especially for children. Topical application can cause irritation.
Risk of Toxicity	Very low.	High risk, particularly of liver toxicity and severe side effects if ingested.
Interaction Risk	Minimal with most medications and conditions.	High risk of dangerous interactions with blood thinners and diabetes medication.
Pre-Surgery Risk	Minimal.	High risk, must be discontinued at least 2 weeks prior to surgery.

Allergies and Sensitivities

While allergic reactions to cloves are rare, they can occur. Signs of an allergic reaction can include hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the face, lips, or throat. Topical application of clove oil can also cause skin irritation, including a burning sensation, redness, and inflammation. Furthermore, some individuals may have a food intolerance rather than an allergy, which can manifest as digestive discomfort.

Conclusion: Informed Use for Your Nutrition Diet

Incorporating cloves into your nutrition diet can be a flavorful and healthy practice, provided it is done with care and awareness of potential risks. For most people, using whole or ground cloves in culinary amounts is perfectly safe. However, the use of concentrated clove oil and supplements warrants significant caution. It is absolutely essential for individuals with bleeding disorders, liver disease, or those managing diabetes to consult a healthcare professional before considering any form of clove supplementation. For more information on general dietary safety, consult with a registered dietitian or visit a reliable health resource like the Cleveland Clinic. Being an informed consumer is the best way to enjoy the benefits of this versatile spice while minimizing any risks.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are on blood-thinning medication, such as warfarin or aspirin, you should avoid high doses of cloves and clove supplements. Clove's eugenol content has a blood-thinning effect that can increase your risk of bleeding and bruising.

While clove oil is sometimes used topically for pain relief, it is highly unsafe for children. Ingestion of even a small amount can lead to severe side effects, including liver damage and seizures. Always consult a dentist or doctor for appropriate treatment.

Yes, it is recommended to stop using clove supplements and concentrated products at least two weeks before any scheduled surgical procedure. This precaution is necessary because cloves can affect blood clotting and blood sugar levels.

Small amounts of cloves used for culinary purposes are generally safe during pregnancy. However, pregnant individuals should avoid medicinal doses, supplements, and clove oil due to insufficient safety data for higher concentrations.

Cloves can potentially lower blood sugar levels. For individuals on diabetes medication, consuming concentrated clove products could cause blood sugar to drop dangerously low, a condition called hypoglycemia. It is important to monitor blood sugar closely and consult a doctor.

Consuming too much clove oil can be toxic. In high doses, it can cause severe side effects such as liver damage, seizures, nervous system depression, and dangerous fluid imbalances.

Although rare, it is possible to have an allergic reaction to cloves. Symptoms can include itching, rash, hives, or swelling. In case of a severe reaction, seek emergency medical help immediately.