Spices, herbs and condiments · IFCT 2017
Cloves: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, cloves give 187 kcal, 34.5 g fibre, 567 mg calcium, 334 mg magnesium and 9.41 mg iron, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. The fibre ranks 4th of 256 foods and the magnesium 8th of 242. Two or three cloves in a pulao weigh a fraction of a gram, though, so they flavour a dish rather than nourish it.
About cloves
Cloves are the dried, unopened flower buds of a tropical tree, Syzygium aromaticum. They are lavang or laung in Hindi and Marathi, lobong in Bengali, krambu in Tamil and Malayalam, lavanga in Kannada and lavangu in Telugu; IFCT 2017 records names in 17 languages. India grows some in the hills of Kerala, Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district and Karnataka, but imports much of what it uses.
Cloves are one of the whole spices fried in ghee at the start of a biryani, pulao or korma, and a core part of garam masala and chai masala. Bengal pins its lobongo lotika pastry shut with a single clove, paan makers tuck one into a folded meetha paan, and a clove held against an aching tooth is an old household habit. A little goes a long way: too many cloves make a dish taste medicinal.
What cloves brings to a meal
- 01
Very high fibre
Cloves carry 34.5 g of fibre per 100 g, ranking 4th of 256 foods in IFCT 2017 and 3rd of 21 spices and herbs. In practice, a dish gets only a sliver of that.
- 02
Calcium, magnesium and potassium
They list 567 mg of calcium, 334 mg of magnesium and 1434 mg of potassium per 100 g, ranking 10th, 8th and 8th of their tables.
- 03
Plant omega-3
Cloves contain 691 mg of alpha-linolenic acid per 100 g, 2nd of 21 spices and herbs after fenugreek seeds and 11th of 203 foods.
- 04
Highest sodium among spices
At 183 mg of sodium per 100 g, cloves rank 1st in their group, though at the amounts used this is trivial next to added salt.
Cloves nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 187 kcal | 9% | 11% |
| Protein | 5.9 g | 11% | 13% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 18.7 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 34.5 g | ||
| Free sugars | 2.1 g | ||
| Total fat | 8.4 g | ||
| Water | 26.5 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 2.68 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.6 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 3.43 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 691 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 567 mg | 57% | 57% |
| Iron | 9.41 mg | 50% | 32% |
| Zinc | 1.13 mg | 7% | 9% |
| Magnesium | 334 mg | 76% | 90% |
| Phosphorus | 83 mg | ||
| Potassium | 1,434 mg | ||
| Sodium | 183 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.54 mg | ||
| Selenium | 7.8 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Beta-carotene | 74 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.53 mg | 29% | 31% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.22 mg | 9% | 9% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.15 mg | 6% | 8% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.03 mg | 1% | 2% |
| Folate (B9) | 33 µg | 11% | 15% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.46 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 161 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Cloves: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/spices-and-herbs/cloves/
Where cloves sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 20 spices, herbs and condiments and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In spices, herbs and condiments | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dietary fibre | 34.5 g | 3rd of 21 | 4th of 182 |
| Iron | 9.41 mg | 9th of 21 | 14th of 242 |
| Calcium | 567 mg | 6th of 21 | 10th of 242 |
| Magnesium | 334 mg | 4th of 21 | 8th of 242 |
| Potassium | 1,434 mg | 7th of 21 | 8th of 243 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 691 mg | 2nd of 21 | 11th of 202 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.53 mg | 3rd of 21 | 12th of 239 |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.22 mg | 4th of 21 | 16th of 241 |
How cloves is eaten
- Biryani and pulao: three or four cloves fried in ghee with cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf before the rice goes in.
- Garam masala: cloves dry-roasted and ground with cardamom, cinnamon, pepper and cumin.
- Lobongo lotika: Bengali folded pastry sweet, fried, soaked in syrup and pinned with a clove.
- Masala chai: a crushed clove with ginger and cardamom for a warming winter cup.
Before you plan around it
These per-100 g values describe a spice eaten a few buds at a time, so they say little about any meal. Clove oil is very concentrated and can irritate or burn the gums and mouth; it should never be given to young children, and a toothache needs a dentist rather than a clove. Buy whole cloves with plump heads; old, shrivelled cloves have lost their oil and flavour.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about cloves
Are cloves good for toothache?
A clove pressed against a sore tooth is an old Indian home habit, and clove oil does numb the area briefly. It does not fix the cause, so a dentist should see any toothache, and clove oil should not be used on children.
What nutrients are in cloves?
Per 100 g, IFCT 2017 lists 34.5 g fibre, 567 mg calcium, 334 mg magnesium, 9.41 mg iron and 691 mg alpha-linolenic acid. Because cloves are used a few at a time, they add flavour more than nutrients.
How many cloves should go in a biryani?
Most home recipes use three to six whole cloves for a pot that serves a family. More than that and the spice starts to taste bitter and medicinal.
Related foods and tables
Cardamom
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Black pepper
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Nutmeg
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mace
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Cumin seeds
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Dietary fibre content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by dietary fibre per 100 g.
Iron content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by iron per 100 g.
Calcium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by calcium per 100 g.
All spices, herbs and condiments
21 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
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