India, Dec. 10 -- When cold weather hits or a sudden irritation makes your throat feel scratchy, make clove tea your best friend. It's one of those simple kitchen staples that has travelled through centuries and cultures, still managing to offer steady comfort when a cough begins to bother you. Its fragrant aroma also hits the right notes to offer a sense of calm.

Dr Prarthana Shah, MBBS, MSc, Integrative Health Coach, calls clove tea a "warm guardian" because it does a lot more than you expect from a tiny spice. It soothes the throat, eases discomfort, and offers gentle support during early cold symptoms.

Cloves (laung) may be tiny, but they are pharmacologically rich. Their key compound, eugenol, has been extensively studied for its a...