Dried cloves are the unopened flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum, with the highest antioxidant ORAC value of any commonly used spice. Their intense flavour comes from eugenol (70-90% of the essential oil), which also has analgesic and antimicrobial properties. Per teaspoon, cloves provide exceptional manganese — more than any other common spice.
Use whole cloves in stocks and mulled drinks (remove before serving); use ground cloves sparingly in baking — as little as an eighth of a teaspoon can dominate a recipe.
Where Cloves, dried Stands Out
Macronutrients per 100g
Vitamins & Minerals
| Nutrient | Per 100g | % Daily Value* | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potassium | 1,100 mg | 55% | |
| Calcium | 730 mg | 91% | |
| Magnesium | 260 mg | 69% | |
| Phosphorus | 110 mg | 16% | |
| Vitamin A (RE) | 53.0 µg | 8% | |
| Manganese | 8.50 mg | 425% | |
| Iron | 5.60 mg | 40% | |
| Zinc | 2.20 mg | 22% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.50 mg | 9% | |
| Copper | 0.490 mg | 49% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.270 mg | 19% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.110 mg | 10% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin C | 0.000 mg | 0% | |
| Folate | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Maltose | 0.000 g | — | |
| Cholesterol | 0.000 mg | — | |
| Beta-carotene | 320 µg | — | |
| Retinol (vitamin A) | 0.000 µg | 0% |
* % Daily Value is the proportion of an adult
EU Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) supplied by 100g of this food.
NRVs are the labelling standard — the same basis as the “%RI” figures printed on
food packaging — so these percentages are directly comparable with a shop label.
They are a single adult figure and do not vary by age or sex, which is why they
sometimes differ from UK dietary reference values: the NRV for vitamin C is 80mg
where the UK RNI is 40mg. When Nutriofia assesses your own intake in the
reports and trackers, it uses the age- and sex-specific UK values instead.
Fibre is shown without a percentage. Our fibre values use the UK
Englyst NSP method, while the published 30g daily goal is an AOAC figure — the two
are measured differently and a single percentage would mislead.
How we source and normalise our data →