In the seventeenth century, the Dutch East India Company waged brutal wars, executed local populations, and burned down entire spice forests just to secure a monopoly on a single, tiny dried flower bud. This violent struggle wasn’t merely driven by culinary vanity. Long before the advent of modern pharmacology, ancient civilizations recognized that the health benefits of cloves were profound enough to justify their immense cost. Today, we no longer fight wars over spices, but our interest in them has evolved. As chronic, lifestyle-driven inflammation becomes a primary focus of modern medicine, researchers are looking closely at the active compounds in our spice cabinets to see if they can help support our long-term wellness.
While it is easy to dismiss ancient herbalism as mere folklore, analyzing the molecular structure of cloves reveals why they remain highly relevant in contemporary health discussions. In an era where chronic, low-grade inflammation drives many modern lifestyle diseases, finding accessible, whole-food sources of anti-inflammatory compounds is crucial. However, we must look at this spice critically. A single ingredient cannot replace a balanced lifestyle, but it can serve as a highly concentrated tool in your preventative health toolkit. The primary challenge for modern consumers is distinguishing between the safe, daily use of whole cloves and the highly concentrated, potentially toxic applications of clove essential oil.
How a Tiny Flower Bud Shaped Global Trade History
Cloves are the dried, unopened flower buds of the clove tree, scientifically known as Syzygium aromaticum. This evergreen tree is native to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, historically referred to as the Spice Islands. For centuries, these islands were the sole source of cloves globally, making the spice an incredibly rare and valuable commodity. Ancient Chinese court records from the Han Dynasty indicate that visitors to the emperor were required to chew cloves to sweeten their breath, demonstrating an early appreciation for the spice’s antimicrobial properties. During the Middle Ages, cloves traveled along arduous trade routes to Europe, where they were utilized not only to preserve meat but also as a primary defense against infectious diseases like the plague.
From an analytical perspective, the historical value of cloves aligns perfectly with their biological utility. Before the invention of refrigeration, food preservation was a matter of survival, and the powerful antimicrobial compounds in cloves prevented foodborne illnesses. Today, we do not need cloves to keep our meat from spoiling, but we do need their bioactive compounds to combat chronic inflammation and oxidative stress—which you can think of as a form of “internal rusting” or cellular wear-and-tear caused by unstable molecules—associated with modern diets. By studying the historical applications of Syzygium aromaticum, we gain valuable clues about how to apply its chemistry to modern health challenges, bridging the gap between ancient empirical wisdom and rigorous clinical science.
The Surprising Nutritional Density of a Single Teaspoon
To understand the health benefits of cloves, we must first examine their nutritional composition. While cloves are typically consumed in small quantities, their nutrient density is remarkably high. According to the USDA FoodData Central, a single teaspoon (approximately 2 grams) of ground cloves provides a concentrated dose of essential minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber. The table below outlines the key nutrients found in this serving size, highlighting why cloves are far more than just a flavor enhancer.
| Nutrient | Value per 1 Teaspoon (~2 grams) | % Daily Value (DV) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 6 to 6.78 kcal | < 1% |
| Carbohydrates | 1.3 to 1.4 g | < 1% |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.7 to 0.72 g | ~2.8% |
| Manganese | 0.63 mg | ~27% |
| Vitamin K | 2.98 mcg | ~2.5% |
| Calcium | 13.3 to 13.57 mg | ~1% |
| Potassium | 21.4 to 23.14 mg | < 1% |
| Iron | 0.18 to 0.25 mg | ~1% |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg (USDA) / 1.7 mg (Soft sources) | 0% to 2% |
When analyzing this nutritional data, a major discrepancy emerges regarding the Vitamin C content of ground cloves. While some popular health databases and articles claim that a teaspoon of ground cloves contains approximately 1.7 mg of Vitamin C, the official USDA FoodData Central lists the Vitamin C content as 0 mg per 2-gram serving. This variation likely stems from differences in analytical testing methods or rounding practices. For strict dietary tracking, it is safest to assume that culinary portions of cloves provide negligible amounts of Vitamin C, and you should rely on other whole foods to meet your daily requirements.
The standout nutrient in cloves is undoubtedly manganese. Providing 27% of the Daily Value in just one teaspoon is an extraordinary feat for any spice. Manganese acts as an essential enzymatic co-factor. Without it, your body cannot synthesize superoxide dismutase, an enzyme that serves as the frontline defense against mitochondrial damage. While you will not rely on cloves to meet your daily macronutrient or fiber needs, incorporating them into your meals is an incredibly efficient way to boost your trace mineral intake, supporting bone health and metabolic function with minimal caloric impact.
8 Proven Health Benefits of Cloves
1. Powerful Anti-Inflammatory Action
The primary driver behind the anti-inflammatory properties of cloves is eugenol, a powerful active plant chemical. In chemistry, eugenol is classified as a “volatile” compound, which simply means it easily evaporates into the air to create the spice’s signature strong aroma, and it makes up the vast majority of the clove’s essential oil. Eugenol works by inhibiting inflammatory pathways in the body, specifically targeting a pain-triggering protein known as the COX-2 enzyme. This is the exact same pathway targeted by many over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen. By blocking this protein, eugenol helps reduce the production of swelling-causing chemicals (prostaglandins), thereby mitigating systemic inflammation and easing joint discomfort.
To understand this process, think of inflammation as a runaway campfire inside your tissues. Left unchecked, the sparks can damage surrounding structures. Eugenol acts like a targeted fire extinguisher, neutralizing the specific chemical sparks before they can ignite a larger inflammatory response. This molecular dampening is highly beneficial for managing chronic inflammatory conditions such as arthritis or general muscle soreness.
However, we must maintain a realistic perspective. Consuming a pinch of cloves in your food will not instantly cure a severe autoimmune flare-up. Dietary cloves should be viewed as a supportive, long-term strategy to lower baseline inflammation, much like incorporating the health benefits of broccoli into your weekly meal prep. For acute inflammatory conditions, targeted medical therapies remain necessary, but cloves offer a safe, daily dietary adjunct to keep chronic inflammation at bay.
2. Unrivaled Antioxidant Defense
Cloves are among the highest-ranking foods on the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) scale, which measures the antioxidant capacity of different substances. They are rich in polyphenols, eugenol, and beta-carotene, all of which work synergistically to neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules produced naturally during metabolism and accelerated by environmental toxins, pollution, and poor diet. If left unchecked, they cause oxidative stress, which damages cellular membranes, proteins, and DNA, ultimately accelerating aging and increasing the risk of chronic diseases.
Imagine free radicals as cellular thieves roaming your body, stealing electrons from healthy cells and causing them to “rust” from the inside out. Antioxidants are like generous philanthropists that willingly donate electrons to these thieves, neutralizing them before they can cause any structural damage. By providing an abundant supply of these electron donors, cloves protect your cells from oxidative degradation.
While the antioxidant capacity of cloves is mathematically impressive, we must caution against the temptation to consume them in excessive quantities to maximize this benefit. Because eugenol can be toxic in high doses, trying to get all your antioxidants from cloves is a dangerous strategy. Instead, the most effective approach is to use cloves as part of a diverse, spice-rich diet. Combining cloves with other antioxidant-dense foods, such as utilizing the health benefits of olive oil in your cooking, creates a broad-spectrum defense system that protects your body safely and comprehensively.
3. Gastroprotective Effects and Ulcer Prevention
Stomach ulcers are painful sores that develop in the protective lining of the stomach when gastric acid erodes the mucosal tissue. Research published in the PubMed database indicates that the compounds in cloves, particularly eugenol, can significantly reduce the risk of these ulcers. A key study demonstrated that the essential oil of Syzygium aromaticum does not alter the volume or acidity of gastric juice. Instead, it exerts its antiulcer activity by significantly enhancing the production of free gastric mucus, which thickens the stomach’s protective barrier.
Think of your stomach lining as the heat shield on a spacecraft. The intense heat represents your highly acidic gastric juices, which are necessary for digesting food. If the heat shield thins, the spacecraft damages. Clove compounds act like a system upgrade that thickens this protective shield, ensuring that the stomach’s acid cannot burn through the tissue and cause painful lesions.
This mechanism is highly advantageous because many conventional ulcer medications work by shutting down acid production, which can impair protein digestion and alter the gut microbiome. Cloves, conversely, support the body’s natural physical defenses without disrupting digestive chemistry. However, it is vital to note that these studies were conducted on animal models using concentrated extracts. If you have an active, bleeding peptic ulcer, you should not attempt to self-treat with cloves; instead, use them as a preventative dietary habit to maintain a robust, healthy stomach lining over time.
4. Natural Oral Anesthetic and Pain Relief
For generations, cloves have been the premier home remedy for dental pain. This localized pain-relieving effect is due to eugenol’s ability to act as a natural local anesthetic. When applied to oral tissues, eugenol blocks sodium channels in sensory neurons. Because these channels are responsible for transmitting pain signals from the tooth to the brain, blocking them temporarily halts the transmission of pain, providing rapid, localized relief from toothaches and gum soreness.
To visualize this, imagine pain signals as cars traveling along a highway to your brain. Eugenol acts like a temporary roadblock, stopping the “pain cars” from reaching their destination. This allows you a window of comfort while you arrange for a permanent solution to the underlying dental issue.
Wait, does this mean you should use clove oil as a permanent replacement for dental visits? Absolutely not. Numbing a toothache does not cure the decay or infection causing the pain. Relying on cloves to mask dental pain can allow a localized infection to spread into the jawbone or bloodstream, turning a simple cavity into a systemic medical emergency. Use cloves strictly as a temporary bridge to keep you comfortable until you can see a licensed dentist.
5. Tooth Enamel Protection
Beyond pain relief, cloves may play a role in preserving the physical structure of your teeth. An in vitro study published in the International Journal of Dentistry evaluated the effects of clove essential oil, eugenol, and eugenyl-acetate on teeth exposed to highly acidic apple juice for 24 hours. The researchers found that the specimens treated with clove compounds exhibited significantly lower decalcification (calcium loss of only 17 to 24 mg/L) compared to untreated controls, performing comparably to standard fluoride treatments in mitigating dental erosion.
Acidic foods and beverages act like microscopic sandpaper on your teeth, slowly stripping away the minerals that make up your enamel. Eugenol and its derivatives act like a protective sealant, reinforcing the mineral matrix of the enamel and making it highly resistant to acid-induced dissolution. This helps maintain the structural integrity of your teeth over time.
However, we must address the claim versus reality here. This study was conducted in vitro, meaning extracted teeth were submerged in a laboratory setting. There are currently no robust clinical trials proving that applying clove oil to live human teeth in a dynamic oral environment safely reverses acid erosion. Furthermore, applying undiluted clove oil directly to your gums can cause chemical burns and tissue sloughing. Therefore, the practical application is to look for professionally formulated oral care products that contain diluted clove extracts, rather than attempting to paint pure clove oil onto your teeth at home.
6. Hepatoprotective Support for Liver Health
The liver is the body’s primary detoxification organ, constantly filtering toxins and processing metabolic waste. Chronic exposure to toxins can lead to oxidative stress, fatty liver disease, and eventually liver cirrhosis. A study published in the Journal of Cancer Prevention demonstrated that a eugenol-rich fraction of clove administered to rats with induced liver cirrhosis significantly lowered elevated levels of liver enzymes, specifically alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT). It also inhibited abnormal hepatic cell proliferation, suggesting a protective effect against tissue scarring.
Think of your liver as a high-performance water filtration system. Over time, heavy sediment can clog the filters and damage the machinery. Eugenol acts like a specialized cleaning agent that helps clear the sediment, reducing oxidative stress on the liver cells and preventing the formation of permanent scar tissue (cirrhosis) that would otherwise compromise the filter’s efficiency.
This brings us to a critical medical paradox regarding eugenol and liver health. While low-dose, dietary eugenol protects liver cells, concentrated eugenol is highly hepatotoxic. According to clinical toxicology data from LiverTox, ingesting concentrated clove oil can cause acute liver failure, metabolic acidosis, and generalized cellular damage. This biphasic nature means that more is definitely not better. To support your liver safely, stick to culinary amounts of whole or ground cloves, and completely avoid ingesting concentrated clove essential oil supplements.
7. Antimicrobial and Antifungal Activity
Cloves possess broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties, making them highly effective against various bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Eugenol disrupts the lipid bilayer of microbial cell membranes, causing cellular leakage and death. This makes cloves highly effective against common pathogens like Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans, which is why clove extracts are frequently utilized in natural cosmetics, soaps, and oral hygiene products to prevent microbial growth.
Imagine a bacterial cell as a secure fortress. Eugenol acts like a specialized solvent that dissolves the mortar holding the fortress walls together. Once the walls crumble, the bacteria cannot survive or replicate, effectively halting the spread of the infection before it can take hold in your body.
While this antimicrobial action is highly effective for localized applications, such as a mouthwash to reduce oral bacteria, we must caution against using cloves as a self-prescribed treatment for systemic infections. Drinking clove tea will not cure a systemic bacterial infection or a deep-seated fungal overgrowth. Systemic infections require targeted, clinically proven antimicrobial therapies. Use cloves as a preventative, localized barrier to support your body’s natural defenses, not as a replacement for prescribed antibiotics.
8. Blood Sugar Regulation
For individuals managing prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, cloves may offer a natural way to support glycemic control. A 2019 pilot study published in PubMed evaluated 13 healthy and prediabetic volunteers who consumed 250 mg of a water-soluble polyphenol-rich clove extract once daily for 30 days. The results showed a significant reduction in both preprandial (fasting) and 2-hour postprandial glucose levels, suggesting that compounds in cloves help enhance insulin sensitivity and facilitate glucose uptake into cells.
To understand this, imagine insulin as a key that opens the doors of your cells to let sugar in from the bloodstream. In prediabetes, the locks on those doors become rusty and resistant to the key. Compounds in cloves act like a lubricant for those locks, helping the insulin keys turn smoothly so that sugar can leave the bloodstream and enter the cells where it is needed for energy.
However, we must analyze this study’s limitations. An open-label pilot study of only 13 participants is a very small sample size, and its findings cannot be generalized as a definitive clinical treatment. If you are actively monitoring your blood sugar using the best home blood glucose monitors, you must consult your healthcare provider before using therapeutic clove extracts. Combining concentrated clove supplements with prescribed anti-diabetic medications like metformin or insulin can cause your blood sugar to drop dangerously low, leading to hypoglycemia.
Whole Cloves vs. Clove Oil: The Crucial Safety Distinction
When exploring the health benefits of cloves, you must make a clear distinction between whole (or ground) cloves and clove essential oil. These two forms represent entirely different concentrations of bioactive compounds, and confusing them can lead to severe health consequences. Whole cloves are a whole food, containing a complex matrix of fiber, minerals, and a safe, diluted concentration of volatile oils. Clove essential oil, on the other hand, is a highly concentrated chemical extract consisting of 60% to 90% pure eugenol.
Whole and ground cloves are ideal for daily culinary use and mild dietary supplementation. Because the eugenol is bound within the plant’s cellular structure, it is released slowly during digestion, providing systemic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits without overwhelming your liver. This makes whole cloves incredibly safe for daily consumption by almost everyone, allowing you to enjoy their health benefits as part of a balanced diet.
Conversely, clove essential oil should be reserved strictly for targeted, short-term topical applications or aromatherapy. Because of its extreme concentration, ingesting even small amounts of pure clove oil can easily exceed the liver’s capacity to detoxify eugenol, leading to acute organ damage. The table below summarizes the key differences and situational guidance for choosing between these two forms.
| Feature | Whole / Ground Cloves | Clove Essential Oil |
|---|---|---|
| Eugenol Concentration | Low (Safe, natural levels) | Extremely High (60% to 90%) |
| Primary Use Case | Culinary flavor, daily nutritional support | Acute topical pain relief, aromatherapy |
| Ingestion Safety | Highly safe in culinary amounts | Dangerous; high risk of toxicity |
| Digestive Impact | Gentle gastroprotective support | Can cause mucosal irritation and burns |
| Target Audience | Safe for general daily consumption | Adults only; use with extreme caution |
Understanding Eugenol Toxicity and Safe Daily Limits
While cloves offer numerous health benefits, they are not without risk. The primary compound responsible for their therapeutic effects, eugenol, is also the primary source of potential toxicity. To ensure safety, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has established strict guidelines for the acceptable daily intake of eugenol. Exceeding these thresholds can lead to severe physiological complications, particularly for vulnerable populations like children and individuals with pre-existing liver conditions.
**WHO Eugenol Daily Intake Limit Formula**
**Safe Daily Intake (mg) = Body Weight (kg) × 2.5 mg**
*Example: For an adult weighing 70 kg (approximately 154 lbs), the maximum safe daily intake of eugenol is:*
**70 kg × 2.5 mg = 175 mg of eugenol per day.**
To put this formula into perspective, a single teaspoon of ground cloves (~2g) contains roughly 150 to 200 mg of essential oil, of which eugenol is the primary component. This means that consuming a full teaspoon of ground cloves in a single day brings an adult close to the maximum safe daily limit. While it is highly unlikely that you would consume this much clove in a standard meal, it highlights why concentrated supplementation must be approached with extreme caution. For a child weighing 20 kg, the safe limit is a mere 50 mg of eugenol, a threshold that can be crossed with just a fraction of a teaspoon of ground spice.
The consequences of exceeding these safety thresholds are severe. According to clinical toxicology data, the ingestion of as little as 5 to 10 mL of pure clove oil in infants and young children, or 10 mL in adults, can cause profound hepatotoxicity (liver failure), seizures, central nervous system depression, metabolic acidosis, and coma. This extreme toxicity occurs because the liver’s detoxification pathways become completely saturated, allowing reactive eugenol metabolites to bind to and destroy liver cells. Therefore, pure clove oil must always be kept out of reach of children.
In addition to acute toxicity, cloves can interact negatively with certain medications. Because eugenol has natural antiplatelet properties, it slows down blood clotting. If you are taking anticoagulant medications like warfarin, aspirin, or clopidogrel, consuming therapeutic doses of cloves can significantly increase your risk of bruising and internal bleeding. Furthermore, because cloves can lower blood glucose, combining them with insulin or oral diabetes medications increases the risk of hypoglycemia, requiring careful monitoring and professional medical guidance.
How to Safely Add Cloves to Your Daily Routine
1. Culinary Spice for Daily Nutritional Support
The safest and most effective way to enjoy the health benefits of cloves is to use them as a culinary spice in your daily cooking. Ground cloves add a warm, sweet, and highly aromatic flavor to both sweet and savory dishes. They are a key ingredient in traditional spice blends such as Indian garam masala, Chinese five-spice, and pumpkin spice. You can add a pinch of ground cloves to oatmeal, roasted root vegetables, curries, stews, or baked goods like gingerbread.
From a biochemical standpoint, cooking with cloves is highly advantageous because eugenol is relatively heat-stable, meaning it retains its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties even after being exposed to cooking temperatures. Furthermore, because cloves are often paired with healthy fats in curries and baked goods, the fat-soluble compounds like beta-carotene are absorbed more efficiently by your digestive tract. This culinary integration allows you to build a consistent, low-dose habit of antioxidant support without any risk of toxicity.
2. Clove Water or Herbal Tea
For a gentle digestive and anti-inflammatory aid, you can prepare a mild clove water or herbal tea. To make this infusion, steep 3 to 5 whole clove buds in a cup of hot water for approximately 10 minutes. You can enjoy this tea plain or blend it with other beneficial herbs like ginger, cinnamon, or green tea. This method extracts the water-soluble polyphenols and a safe, diluted amount of the volatile oils, providing a soothing beverage that supports stomach mucus production and eases bloating.
When preparing clove tea, it is important not to boil the cloves excessively. Boiling can cause the highly volatile eugenol to evaporate into the steam, reducing the therapeutic value of the beverage. Instead, pour hot (not boiling) water over the cloves and cover the cup with a lid while steeping to trap the beneficial volatile oils inside the liquid. Limit your consumption to one or two cups per day to stay safely within the recommended daily intake limits.
3. Diluted Topical Application for Temporary Dental Relief
If you are experiencing a temporary toothache or gum soreness, you can use clove essential oil topically, provided you follow strict dilution protocols. Never apply pure, undiluted clove oil directly to your gums, as this can cause chemical burns, localized mucosal irritation, and contact dermatitis. Instead, you must always mix the clove oil with a food-grade carrier oil, such as olive oil or coconut oil, to dilute its concentration to a safe level.
To prepare a safe topical mixture, blend 1 to 2 drops of pure clove essential oil with one tablespoon of your chosen carrier oil. Dip a clean cotton swab into the diluted mixture, squeeze out any excess liquid, and gently apply it to the affected gum area for 1 to 2 minutes. The carrier oil acts as a physical buffer, slowing down the absorption of eugenol to prevent tissue damage while still allowing the anesthetic properties to numb the local nerve endings. Remember, this is a temporary measure to manage pain until you can receive professional dental care.
Common Questions About Using Cloves for Health
- Can I drink clove water every day?
Yes, drinking a mild clove water infusion made from 2 to 3 whole cloves is generally safe for daily consumption for most healthy adults. This practice provides a gentle dose of antioxidants and supports digestive health by promoting stomach mucus production. However, you should avoid drinking highly concentrated clove extracts or using clove essential oil in your beverages daily, as long-term exposure to high levels of eugenol can strain your liver and kidneys. - Do cloves interact with blood thinners?
Yes, cloves can interact significantly with anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications such as warfarin, heparin, clopidogrel, and even daily aspirin. Eugenol has natural blood-thinning properties that inhibit platelet aggregation. If you combine therapeutic doses of cloves or clove supplements with these medications, you run an increased risk of excessive bleeding and easy bruising. Always consult your prescribing physician before adding clove supplements to your routine. - Is clove oil safe for teething babies?
Absolutely not. Clove oil is highly toxic to infants and young children, even in very small quantities. Because of their low body weight and developing liver enzymes, babies cannot safely metabolize eugenol. Ingesting or absorbing even a fraction of a milliliter of clove oil can trigger acute liver failure, seizures, and life-threatening metabolic acidosis. Never use clove oil, or any teething gels containing eugenol, on infants or young children. - Can cloves help with weight loss?
While some animal studies suggest that clove extracts may help reduce obesity induced by a high-fat diet by improving lipid metabolism, there is currently no robust clinical evidence proving that cloves cause weight loss in humans. Cloves can support your metabolic health by helping to regulate blood sugar and reduce inflammation, but they are not a magic weight-loss solution. Sustainable weight management requires a comprehensive approach focusing on diet, exercise, and sleep. - Can I chew on whole cloves for bad breath?
Yes, chewing on a single whole clove bud is a highly effective, traditional remedy for halitosis (bad breath). The natural antimicrobial properties of eugenol help eliminate the odor-causing bacteria in your mouth, while the spice’s aromatic compounds provide an immediate masking effect. However, avoid chewing cloves constantly throughout the day, as prolonged, direct contact with the raw spice can irritate the delicate mucosal lining of your mouth and gums.
Making Cloves a Sustainable Part of Your Diet
To truly benefit from the health benefits of cloves, you must shift your mindset from “therapeutic intervention” to “consistent culinary integration.” Instead of seeking out high-dose, risky supplements or attempting to ingest essential oils, focus on making cloves a regular, flavorful staple in your kitchen. By adding a pinch of ground cloves to your morning oatmeal, steeping a few whole buds in your evening tea, or using them to season savory stews, you allow your body to harness the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant power of eugenol safely and consistently over time.
This slow, dietary approach respects the biphasic nature of eugenol, ensuring you receive all the protective, gastroprotective, and metabolic benefits of the spice without ever approaching the threshold of toxicity. Wellness is not built on extreme, high-dose interventions, but on the small, safe, and mindful choices you make every day. Let the rich history and powerful chemistry of cloves inspire you to enrich your meals, protect your cells, and support your health naturally and sustainably.
Medical Disclaimer
The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. While cloves offer documented health benefits, they contain highly potent bioactive compounds that can interact with medications and cause toxicity in high doses. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional or your primary care physician before making significant changes to your diet, starting any herbal supplementation, or using clove-derived products therapeutically, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking prescription medications, or managing a chronic health condition.