Clove Tea Side Effects: 4 Possible Risks

Possible clove tea side effects include stomach upset, mouth or throat irritation, and allergic reactions, although direct evidence is limited and their frequency is unknown.

Is clove tea safe?

Clove tea is a water infusion made with the spice clove. There is little direct research on its side effects or on how much people can safely drink each day. Symptoms after drinking it do not, by themselves, prove that clove tea caused them.

Clove tea is different from concentrated clove essential oil. Swallowing the oil can cause poisoning, including liver injury, and should not be treated as equivalent to drinking an ordinary water infusion. Do not add clove essential oil to clove tea or swallow it as a home remedy.

If you feel unwell after drinking clove tea, stop drinking it rather than assuming the symptoms are harmless. A clinician can help assess persistent symptoms or a suspected allergy, especially if you used other ingredients or clove products at the same time.

What are 4 possible clove tea side effects and related risks?

These 4 concerns include possible reactions to clove tea and burns from any hot drink; they are not ranked by measured frequency. For infusion ideas, use the ai detox recipe generator, but do not rely on it to determine whether clove tea is safe for you.

1. Stomach upset

Some people may notice nausea or stomach discomfort after drinking clove tea. The available evidence does not establish that clove tea causes these symptoms or explain a mechanism by which it might do so. Other ingredients, food eaten at the same time or an unrelated illness could also be responsible.

There are no reliable figures for how often stomach upset occurs with clove tea, and the studies we found do not identify a preparation that makes it more likely. A single episode cannot establish whether clove or something else was responsible.

If you feel nauseated or uncomfortable after drinking clove tea, stop drinking it. Contact a clinician if symptoms persist, worsen or recur. Do not make the infusion stronger or continue drinking it in an attempt to overcome the discomfort.

Can clove tea irritate your mouth or throat?

2. Mouth or throat irritation

Clove contains eugenol, a compound associated with irritation in some forms of exposure. A burning or sore feeling after clove tea could also have another explanation, including the temperature of the drink; it is not enough on its own to identify the cause.

The evidence here concerns eugenol, not a clinical trial of clove tea. A 2021 laboratory study of a topical eugenol formulation describes skin irritation as a limitation of topical eugenol products. It does not establish how often a water infusion irritates the mouth or throat.

Stop drinking clove tea if it irritates your mouth or throat, and rinse your mouth with water. Do not try to test your reaction by drinking it again. Seek emergency help for tongue or throat swelling, trouble swallowing or breathing difficulty, which can signal a serious allergic reaction.

Can clove tea cause an allergic reaction?

3. Allergic reaction

An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system responds to a substance a person is sensitive to. A reaction to a spice is possible, but the available evidence does not provide a reliable frequency for allergic reactions to clove tea.

Possible symptoms include an itchy mouth, hives or swelling. A severe reaction can involve throat swelling, breathing difficulty, dizziness or fainting. Clove is not necessarily the cause: another ingredient in the drink could be responsible, so symptoms should not be self-diagnosed.

Stop drinking clove tea if you suspect a reaction. Get emergency help for breathing difficulty, throat swelling, fainting or a rapidly worsening reaction. For milder symptoms, speak with a clinician before having clove again, and do not deliberately expose yourself to check what caused the reaction.

Can hot clove tea burn your mouth or throat?

4. Burns from a hot drink

A clove tea infusion that is too hot can burn the mouth or throat. This is a risk from the temperature of any hot drink, not a side effect shown to be specific to clove. It is also different from irritation or an allergic reaction to an ingredient.

The studies we found do not measure how often burns occur with clove tea. The mechanism, however, is heat contact with tissue rather than an effect that depends on a clove compound.

Let clove tea cool before drinking it, and be careful when handling a hot cup. If pain is severe, swallowing is difficult or symptoms do not settle, seek medical advice. Breathing difficulty or significant swelling requires emergency care, whatever the suspected cause.

Who should avoid clove tea or ask a clinician first?

Avoid clove tea if you have had an allergic reaction to clove. If you are unsure what caused a previous reaction, a clinician can help you decide whether an allergy assessment is appropriate. Avoiding the suspected ingredient is safer than trying it again on your own.

If you have liver disease or take medicines and want to use clove tea regularly, ask a clinician or pharmacist for individual advice. Research has not established a specific interaction between clove tea and a medicine. Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine to make room for clove tea.

Safety information on regular or medicinal use of clove tea during pregnancy and breastfeeding is limited. Using clove as a culinary spice is not necessarily equivalent to repeatedly drinking a strong infusion, so ask your maternity clinician about your circumstances.

Do not routinely give clove tea to children without advice from their pediatric clinician. Keep clove essential oil out of children’s reach and never use it as a substitute for the infusion; concentrated oil can cause serious poisoning if swallowed.

How much clove tea is safe to drink daily?

There is no established, evidence-based safe daily amount of clove tea. Available studies have not defined a reliable number of cups, cloves or brewing strength that is safe for everyone. Preparations also vary, so the number of cloves alone does not establish how much of a compound is in the finished drink.

A recipe quantity is not a medical safety limit. Avoid treating a stronger infusion, frequent refills or added clove oil as a way to obtain more benefit. If you choose to drink clove tea and notice a reaction, stop rather than trying to find an amount that lets you continue.

Ask a clinician or pharmacist for personal guidance if you have a relevant medical condition, take medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are considering giving clove tea to a child. They can consider your circumstances rather than applying an unproven daily limit.

When should you see a doctor?

Get emergency help immediately for difficulty breathing, swelling of the tongue or throat, fainting, a seizure, vomiting blood or black, tarry stools. These signs need prompt assessment regardless of whether clove tea caused them.

For suspected clove essential oil ingestion, contact a poison control service immediately, even if the person seems well. Do not induce vomiting unless a poison specialist or clinician instructs you to do so. Tell the service what product was swallowed and keep its container available if possible.

Seek prompt medical assessment for persistent vomiting, unusual bruising or bleeding, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or worsening abdominal pain. For mild symptoms that do not resolve after stopping clove tea, contact a clinician. Tell them what you drank, any other ingredients or clove products you used, when symptoms began and which medicines you take.