Myth: Can cloves control chronic cough?
Question: I have been diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). My symptom is a gagging reflexive cough. I found relief by sucking on dried cloves. When the cloves are soft, I usually eat them. I eat two to four a day. Are cloves safe to eat?
Answer: Dentists have used clove oil for pain relief, and some Eastern traditions suggest cloves can be helpful against coughs.
We discourage you from eating cloves every day, however, as there are some disturbing data suggesting that an ingredient in clove oil (eugenol) may alter DNA (Mutagenesis, May 2006). Whether this would lead to cancer is unknown.
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