Jiva Organics Whole Cloves + A Tea Recipe!

"Jiva means Life" and with Jiva Organics, you get quality products from a small family business that is driven
by the care and respect for life, people and the environment.
Their products are completely natural, certified organic,
and 'grown with an underlying philosophy that promotes sustainability of mother Earth for the present and future generations.' Their products are all free from artificial flavors
and preservatives, and grown on organic toxic-free farms.

I was recently sent the Jiva Organics Whole Cloves 
to review and have been very pleased with them.

Cloves are flower buds that come from the evergreen Clove Tree, native to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia. They are commonly used as a spice in gingerbread and pumpkin pie, but can also
be found in soups, chili's, marinades curries, and many other dishes, as well as used for room fragrance, bug repellents,
and for medicinal purposes. There are many uses for cloves,
whether it be in oil, powder, or whole form.

                                   Here are a few of my favorite:

Using cloves as an aromatic air freshener, by either making your own potpourri mix, or your own Clove Pomander. To make this, you take an orange and insert several cloves into it, then attach a ribbon or string to the orange and hang it from the ceiling. This not only works as an air freshener, but as a fly deterrent, and respiratory aid too! It lasts for about 6 months (or when the orange begins rotting lol), and once it looses its scent, you can remove the cloves and slightly crush them, bringing the scents vibrancy back. You can then make a potpourri from this, using the crushed cloves and dried orange peels.

You can also use cloves for toothaches. You can either chew on a whole clove, or put a few in a cheesecloth, wrap it up and crush the cloves in it. Then place it in your mouth where the toothache is, letting your saliva moisten it, and it will numb the area, helping ease the tooth pain. I have done this before with clove oil on a cotton ball, and it worked really well for a few days! Just beware that the Eugenal in clove oil can be toxic so don't swallow it.

I also like to have whole cloves in tea. Here is the recipe I use, found from Be Spoke Spices:

2 Cups of Water

1 Teaspoon Whole Cloves

1/2 Teaspoon Grated Nutmeg

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

A Few Drops of Lemon Juice (optional)

                                                                       Honey or Agave Nectar (optional) 

 To make this tea, you slightly crush the cloves and add them to a saucepan with the nutmeg
and cinnamon. Add the water and heat to boiling. Once it starts boiling, turn the heat down
and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow it to steep for 5 minutes,
then pour through a tea strainer, into your cup, and add the optional lemon and honey.
Enjoy your delicious clove tea and its wonderful benefits! 

What are your favorite uses for Cloves?

Jiva Organic Whole Cloves are available in a 3.5oz. resealable bag, for purchase on Amazon 
for under $15. You can also find more information, as well as other Jiva products at jivaorganicfoods.com as well as on their Facebook page.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. 

Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.