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Ground clove

Ground clove is powdered dried clove bud used as a warm, aromatic seasoning in sweet and savory dishes.

Ground clove — illustrative ingredient image

About Ground clove

Ground clove is a spice made by milling dried clove flower buds. It is used in baking, spice blends, fruit preserves, sweets, mulled drinks, pickles, marinades, sauces, and savoury dishes involving meat or vegetables. A small amount can flavour an entire preparation because its aroma is especially powerful.

The powder has an intense, warm, sweet-woody flavour with pronounced pungency and a characteristic slightly numbing sensation. Its fine particles disperse through batters, sauces, and stews, though the flavour can become sharper when used heavily. Freshly ground or well-stored clove is generally more aromatic than an old, faded powder.

Ground clove is usually reddish brown to dark brown and finely textured. It is stirred into dry ingredients, rubbed into food, or added directly to liquids during cooking. It is sold in spice jars, packets, and bulk containers; products may differ in grind size, colour, aroma, and the proportion of clove powder.

Ingredient type
seasoning

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Where ground clove appears

1 linked foods

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Desserts

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for ground clove

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

ground clove

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Ground clove nutrition & diet

Ground clove nutritional value

Cloves, dried, ground

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the stated food form.

Calories
332kcal
Protein
6.0g
Carbs
31.6g
Fat
13.0g

Reference values apply to the named food form, not every preparation, variety or brand. © Food Standards Australia New Zealand. AFCD Release 3, food F002970. Available carbohydrate excludes sugar alcohols; energy converted from kJ to kcal (÷4.184). Australian data may not be appropriate for use in other countries. There are limitations associated with food composition databases. Food composition data used in the database or databases may represent an average of the nutrient content of a particular sample of foods and ingredients, determined at a particular time. The nutrient composition of foods and ingredients can vary substantially between batches and brands because of a number of factors, including changes in season, processing practices and ingredient source, and methods of calculation. Data licensed under the FSANZ Data User Licence Agreement, based on CC BY-SA 3.0 AU: https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science-data/monitoringnutrients/afcd/datauserlicenceagreement.

Portions & preparation

Match plain powder made from dried clove buds, since clove blends, sweetened products, and extracts are different forms. It is normally used in a small amount dispersed through a recipe or drink. Reference the prepared dish separately when oil, sugar, dairy, or other ingredients carry the serving.

Compare the right form: Use a reference for plain ground dried clove buds, excluding clove oil, extract, sweetened powders, and mixed spice products.

Diet considerations

Pure ground clove is plant-derived. Compatibility changes when it appears in baked goods, coatings, beverages, or blends containing sugar, dairy, egg, or cereal ingredients. As a seasoning, its portion is usually small; the surrounding recipe can create a more substantial, portion-dependent carbohydrate pattern.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Typically compatible
  • Vegetarian
    Typically compatible
  • Pescatarian
    Typically compatible
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    May be compatible
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Vegetarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Pescatarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · May be compatible
May fit a paleo pattern, depending on the cut or form, processing and added ingredients.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Australian Food Composition Database, Release 3, 2025 — Cloves, dried, ground ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .