Papaya - a world class meat tenderizer, natural digestive aid, prevents ulcers, and also a soft contact lense cleaner.Clove - The Safety Factor
Japanese researchers have discovered that like many spices, clove contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help prevent the cell damage that scientists believe eventually causes cancer.
On the other hand, in laboratory tests, the chemical eugenol, has been found to be a weak tumor promoter, making clove one of many healing herbs with both pro- and anticancer effects. At this point, scientists aren’t sure which way the balance tilts. Until they are, anyone with a history of cancer should not use medicinal amounts of clove.
For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults, powdered clove is considered nontoxic. However, high doses of its oil may cause stomach upset when ingested and rash when used externally.
Clove or clove oil should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If clove or clove oil causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset or diarrhea, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience any unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.
Some smokers switch to clove cigarettes, believing they’re safer than tobacco. They aren’t. Most clove cigarettes are 50 to 60 percent tobacco. And when clove burns, it releases many carcinogens. The Journal of tne American Medical Association has reported many toxic reactions to clove cigarettes.
Grown in Far Places
Clove does not grow in the United States. The aromatic clove evergreen reaches’ 25 feet. Tanzania produces about 80 percent of the world’s supply. Clove also grows in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and the West Indies.