Cardamom vs. clove | What are the differences?

Cardamom and clove are precious spices popular all over the world, they are on the list of the most expensive spices in the world.

In the Middle Ages, the value of some spices was similar to gold and was available only to the upper class. Nowadays, the cost of spices has decreased compared to before, but some spices continue to be very expensive because of the high cost of production and importation.

In this article, we will compare cardamom vs. clove in taste, culinary uses, health benefits, and substitutes, so let’s start.

Cardamom vs. Clove: What Are The Differences?

Cardamom is a spice that comes from the seed pods of various plants in the ginger family, the pod contains several small and black seeds, while the pods differ in color and size according to the species.

There are two main varieties of cardamom, green cardamom and black cardamom. Green cardamom is the most popular variety and is grown in tropical areas including India, Costa Rica, and Malaysia. Black cardamom has dark brown pods and is grown in the eastern Himalayas.

   What is The Clove

Clove is a spice that comes from the flower buds of the clove tree (Syzygium aromaticum), the flower buds are harvested before getting mature and then dried. They are shaped like a small reddish brown spike with a bulbous top.

Cloves are grown in Indonesia, India, and Madagascar. Cardamom is much more expensive than clove because it must be harvested and processed by hand.

Cardamom vs. Clove Taste

Cardamom has a complex pungent flavor combining minty, citrusy, and slightly sweet flavors.

Clove has an intense strong flavor combining sweetness, bitterness, and astringency.

Can Cardamom be Used in Place of Cloves and Vice Versa?

Cardamom and clove come from different spice families, and each of them has its own specific unique flavor. Substituting one for the other in a recipe can alter the taste, so it is better to use the recommended spice for the recipe, but it is possible to make a cardamom substitute by combining clove with cinnamon.

Culinary Uses of Clove and Cardamom

Both of them can be used in sweet and savory dishes to add a special, pungent flavor.

Cardamom can be used as a powder or, you can use whole pods to season stews, curries, and rice dishes, as well as to flavor baked products like bread and cookies, meats, and pastries. It is the main component in the spice blend (garam masala).

Cardamom gives a specific taste to hot drinks like tea and coffee, it is the key ingredient in Indian chai tea. You can grind cardamom pods with coffee beans to enjoy a unique flavor of your coffee.

Whole or ground clove buds are used to flavor rice dishes, sauces, and soups, they are a component of the garam masala blend and are used in many Indian traditional dishes. Whole buds should be removed before serving.

Ground clove is a spice of choice in many desserts like pumpkin pie, gingerbread, cakes, and cookies, it also goes well with hot drinks like tea.

Cardamom vs. Clove Health Benefits

Cardamom and clove have many health benefits and have been used in traditional medicine to treat several health problems, but more scientific studies are needed to ensure these health benefits. 

Health benefits of cardamom

1– Oral health: chewing cardamom seeds balances the PH of the mouth and stimulates salivation, it also fights bacteria found in the mouth, so it protects the mouth from cavities and gum diseases, and freshens breath.

2– Antimicrobial effect: Cardamom essential oil has antibacterial and antifungal activity against many types of bacteria and fungi, but the essential oil should be used after consulting healthcare providers to avoid its side effects.

3– Liver health: Cardamom may improve liver health and protect it from certain types of damage because it has a detoxification effect.

4– Heart health: It can help improve heart function and boost heart health due to its antioxidant properties.

5– Metabolic syndrome and diabetes: Cardamom can help decrease some metabolic syndromes such as obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and high blood sugar.

Health Benefits of Clove

1– Oral health: Clove oil decreases inflammation and fights harmful oral bacteria, so it is effective against plaque and gingivitis, it also eases toothache because the oil contains eugenol, which is a natural anesthetic. 

2– Antioxidant effect: Clove is rich in antioxidants like eugenol, so it protects cells from damage by harmful free radicals and lowers the risk of developing diabetes, heart diseases, and certain types of cancer.

3– Anti-inflammatory effect: It contains compounds, mainly eugenol, that reduce inflammation in some health conditions like arthritis.

4- Liver health: Eugenol found in cloves can reduce liver cirrhosis and fatty liver disease.

5– Reduce stomach ulcers: Consuming cloves in large amounts can thicken the stomach mucus and decrease stomach ulcers.
 Read more:  BLACK PEPPER FOR LIVER CIRRHOSIS

Cardamom and clove tea

Cardamom and clove are popular spices for making tea, and they are the basic ingredients in making Indian chai tea. You can make pure herbal tea from them or add them to black or green tea.

How to Make Cardamom Tea?

• Boil a cup of water in a saucepan.
• Crush 3-6 cardamom pods. Cardamom has a very strong flavor, so be careful and do not use more pods than that.
• Add the pods to the water and boil for 15 minutes. 
• Strain the tea, and add sugar or honey as needed.

How to Make Clove Tea?

• Boil a cup of water.
• Add one teaspoon of clove buds to the boiled water.
• Steep for 10-15 minutes.
• Strain the tea, and add sugar or honey if you want.

The Best Cardamom Substitutes

Cardamom has a complex flavor, so it is not easy to substitute it in a recipe. You can make a blend of other spices to give you a similar flavor to cardamom. Here are some suitable substitutes:

• Clove with cinnamon, replace one teaspoon of cardamom in a recipe with 1\2 teaspoon of each clove and cinnamon.
• Cinnamon.
• Nutmeg with ground cinnamon.
• Ginger.
  

The Best Clove Substitute

• Nutmeg.
• Allspice.
• Cardamom in combination with cinnamon or nutmeg or with both.
• Cinnamon with nutmeg.

Conclusion

Cardamom and clove suit well together in different dishes. Each has its own unique flavor and aroma and both can enchant our taste buds. Although cardamom is referred to as the queen of spices due to its very special flavor, clove is also considered an aromatic treasure.