Yes, you can eat whole cloves, but only in small amounts and with a few cautions. Cloves are an edible spice and are considered safe in the quantities normally used in cooking or when occasionally chewed.

Safety and how to eat them

Whole cloves are very strong in flavor and quite hard, so biting into one can be intense and may numb your mouth because of the eugenol in the clove. They can also be a minor choking hazard if swallowed without chewing because of their hard, nail‑like shape.

Recommended use and limits

Most recipes use whole cloves to flavor food and then remove them before serving, precisely because they are so pungent and hard. If you like chewing them (for breath or digestion), many sources suggest limiting this to about one clove at a time and not overdoing it, since larger amounts can irritate the stomach and cause nausea or other digestive upset.

When to be extra careful

People who are pregnant, nursing, taking blood‑thinning medications, or who have stomach problems should be especially cautious and stick to normal food- level amounts rather than medicinal use, and discuss regular clove chewing with a healthcare professional. If you ever feel mouth irritation, numbness, or stomach discomfort after eating whole cloves, it is best to stop and seek medical advice.