Nutmeg: health benefits and harms

The attitude to nutmeg is mixed. Someone is sure that this is one of the spices for meat and fish dishes. Some use it as a condiment for desserts. But there are those who are sure of the poisonous properties of nutmeg, supposedly causing hallucinations.

Any plant can have both beneficial and harmful properties. Nutmeg is no exception. Consider the main properties of this product.

How it looks and where it grows

Nutmeg, despite its name, is simply the seed of the fruit of a nutmeg tree. On a tree about 12 meters high after flowering, fruits resembling peaches or apricots appear. After full ripening, the fruit itself is divided into two halves and exposes the bone. Inside this bone is a seed that has an irregular, wrinkled oval shape. It is called nutmeg with a characteristic marble pattern on the cut line. The diameter of a brownish walnut is approximately 3 centimeters.

Brazil, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia are the most favorable places for the growth of the evergreen nutmeg. It can reach a hundred years of age, but bears fruit only the first forty years, bringing about 2000 fruits per season.

Composition and calorie content

The presence of vital components in a product determines its usefulness. In nutmeg, vitamins B1, PP and E are most represented, providing a daily requirement of 100 grams of the product in a ratio of 66.7%; 66.5% and 40%. Macronutrients are magnesium, phosphorus and calcium. Nutmeg is rich in trace elements, including vanadium, the content of which in 100 grams of the product is as much as 425%. The indicator of iron is slightly lower - 333.3% and manganese - 190% of the daily norm.

Calorie content of the product is 556 kcal. Nutritional value of nutmeg per 100 grams of product is represented by 20 grams of protein, 50 g of fat and 7 g of carbohydrates.

Based on the indicators of the components presented in nutmeg, its usefulness for the human body is undeniable.

How much can I eat nutmeg per day

Nutmeg is one of the types of spices that has not only a peculiar taste, but also useful medicinal properties. But its excessive use can adversely affect a person’s well-being.

A beneficial effect on the body provides a norm of 0.33 grams per kilogram of human weight. The mass of one nut is approximately 5 grams.

The constant use of nutmeg can be addictive, which is unacceptable. In this case, it is necessary to abandon the use of spices in any form for three months. Compliance with the rules of eating nutmeg will improve the general condition of the human body.

Nutmeg Benefits

The usefulness of nutmeg is explained by the beneficial substances contained in it. It has long been known as a product that stimulates brain activity. He is able to concentrate the attention of a person, to focus him on work. A nut eaten once a day will cure a person of depression and apathy. It promotes the production of the hormone of happiness in the body - endorphin.As a result of such a pleasant treatment, a person becomes active, cheerful, with high spirits.

For women

1. One of the indications for using nutmeg spice is its high iron content. It helps the reproduction of red blood cells during menstruation. These days are sometimes painful. Eugenol contained in nutmeg will help with pain, giving an analgesic effect.
2. It is useful to take a spice from this nut during the treatment or prevention of mastopathy.
3. Women will like his property, which helps to reveal sexuality, increase sexual desire.
4. Muscat is useful for the female body during menopause, as it reduces the number of hot flashes.

For men

1. Muscat is useful for the male body if there are problems in intimate life. It is able to normalize ejaculation, help in the treatment of impotence. Thanks to muscat, male potency is increased, premature ejaculation is prevented.
2. Spice, according to experts, can assist in conception and increase the number of active sperm.
3. Younger fruits of the nutmeg tree can help increase sexual desire and lead to a state of arousal.

During pregnancy

Despite the positive characteristics of nutmeg, it can become dangerous for pregnant women. According to experts, it is better to completely abandon its use at this time. More useful for the woman herself and the unborn baby will be walnuts, pine nuts and hazelnuts.

When breastfeeding

Nursing mothers should also not risk their health and the condition of the baby's body. Therefore, a woman during breastfeeding should refuse to take spices from nutmeg, even as a seasoning for any dish.

For kids

In a children's diet, it is best to refuse the use of nutmeg. Firstly, it does not possess useful properties necessary for the child's body. Secondly, its taste is not attractive to children. For a child under the age of three, this product is strictly prohibited for use. But older children are recommended its use is very metered, for example, in confectionery. Although the risk of harming the child’s body remains.

What is useful nutmeg for weight loss

Nutmeg does not have extensive effects on the body for weight loss. It is suitable for accelerating metabolism, increasing blood flow, which helps break down fatty plaques. With conventional methods of weight loss, spice can be used as a seasoning for vegetable salads, diet soups, cereals. It is used by many to improve the digestibility of food, reduce the number of attacks of hunger. Walnut has a beneficial effect on the sweet tooth, who decided to do proper nutrition. Magnesium, which occupies one of the first places among the beneficial components of walnut, reduces the attraction to sweets.

Nutmeg in medicine

In ancient times, doctors in Rome and Greece knew about nutmeg as a useful product for the treatment of various ailments. Modern medicine makes extensive use of drugs prepared using this product in a wide variety of fields.

1. In the fight against various diseases, the saponins, starches, proteins, and numerous pigments contained in it help. Leading medical experts in some countries recommend the use of preparations based on nutmeg. Adding garlic to them in small quantities prevents some diseases and even heals.
2. Preparations containing nutmeg are used to treat insomnia. Muscat in small doses is able to put in order the nervous system, normalize sleep.
3. Nuts are used to treat mastopathy in women, pain during menstruation.
4. Medicines with a nutmeg at the base help in getting rid of benign tumors, chorea.Some studies suggest that nutmeg can contribute to the self-destruction of cancerous growths. This is due to the ability of the nut to block the access of blood to malignant tissues. Thus, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of oncology as a result of periodic intake of muscat.
5. People suffering from multiple sclerosis, migraines or headaches are advised to take medications with this component in the composition. A paste of good cow's milk and ground nutmeg can help treat migraines. The mixture should be applied to the forehead and kept until the pain disappears.
6. To stabilize and increase the functions of the immune system, to conduct a course of treatment of autoimmune diseases will help drugs with the same muscat in the composition.
7. If you add a little nutmeg powder to hot tea or massage oil, the first signs of a cold will disappear and your immunity will strengthen.
8. The same component in the drug will help men to restore an erection, if there is a similar problem. To all of the above should be added varicose veins and thrombophlebitis, memory problems, in the fight against which drugs made with the use of nutmeg can also have a positive effect. It normalizes blood pressure.
9. The usefulness of nutmeg was known to people of the distant past in getting rid of toothache and muscle pain.
10. The liver and kidneys will be cleansed if nutmeg is consumed regularly by humans in moderate doses. It also helps to eliminate any undesirable poisons and toxins from the body.
11. Stimulates and tones the work of the heart and blood circulation.

Nutmeg-based traditional medicine recipes

In traditional medicine, the product is considered one of the most famous components of therapeutic mixtures, pastes, and additives in drinks.

1. From pains caused by arthritis, myositis, osteochondrosis, rheumatic heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, a thick paste of sunflower oil with nutmeg can help. A warm compress is applied to the problem area and kept until completely cooled for about 20 minutes.
2. Specialists also use preparations containing nutmeg in the treatment of diseases of the esophagus, indigestion, diarrhea. You can prepare a mixture of 1/3 teaspoon of nutmeg, 125 g of water, low-fat yogurt, dry ginger and drink in one gulp. Such a tool can help with problems with the stomach and intestines, as well as excessive gas formation, loss of appetite. The latter is especially significant for those suffering from dystrophy and anorexia. Spice, due to its chemical composition, contributes to the desire to eat. At the same time, digestion is established, the walls of the esophagus are lubricated.
3. This spice is a necessary tool in the treatment of sexual weakness in men. Muscat gives a positive effect when it serves as a seasoning for dishes and when used separately, diluted or washed down with water. Only regular and daily intake of nuts leads to the solution of the problem of impotence.
4. Pain with neuralgia will help reduce the mixture of nutmeg, cream, ointment, beeswax or simple vegetable oil, preheated and applied to the problem area.
5. Colds, bronchitis, coughs, flu, or signs of a cold illness can be treated by adding spice to a warm drink.
6. Improving the activity of the kidneys, removing excess urine, removing puffiness, lowering the acidity of the urine can give a drink with spice from nutmeg.
7. The tincture prepared on a glass of boiling water with 20 grams of nutmeg spice and 100 grams of honey can help the veins. Well mixed and cooled liquid is taken before meals three times a day.
8. Warm milk drunk in the evening with a spoonful of honey and a pinch of spice contributes to good sleep.

Nutmeg is useful in treating ailments inside the body and on the body as an antiseptic. There have been cases of dissolution of gallstones under its influence.Traditional medicine, where there is a place for spices from nutmeg, is widely popular not only in the East, but also in many countries of the world.

Nutmeg in cosmetology

The usefulness of this product for cosmetic purposes has long been familiar to specialists. Essential oils squeezed from walnut kernels by steam distillation are popular in this area.

For face

The skin under the beneficial influence of plant components receives an additional blood flow. Metabolic processes improve, the condition of the skin comes back to normal. Facial skin gains youth after applying scrubs, masks, which include nutmeg. For example, a scrub made from powder of nutmeg, kefir and oatmeal will show its effectiveness after several applications. Problematic skin can be cured by adding grated nutmeg to the cream and scrub.

1. Acne will disappear if you apply a face mask made from equal parts of spice and sour cream, for example, one teaspoon. A thick layer of the applied mixture should be washed off after a quarter of an hour.
2. The mixture, consisting of equal proportions of heated honey and nutmeg oil, applied to the skin for 20 minutes, tightens it, reduces the number of wrinkles. It is also applicable for massage. Thanks to the nutmeg, the oily sheen from the skin of the face disappears, the work of the sebaceous glands normalizes.

For hair

As part of many hair products, there is nutmeg, which helps to effectively restore the structure of the strands, improving their appearance and health. The use of home masks improves blood flow to the scalp and promotes hair growth. If there are problems with dandruff, baldness and increased oiliness of the head, a hair product with nutmeg is the most necessary.

A mask can help hair restoration, consisting of 20 grams of nutmeg, cinnamon powder, oatmeal combined in 110 ml of mineral water. A well-mixed mixture is applied to the scalp, and after forty minutes, wash off with shampoo. Rinsing with apple cider vinegar will fix the effect of the mask.

In addition, a nutmeg cream can help treat flaky skin on the elbows of the hands and heels.

The benefits of nutmeg with milk

Lightly warmed or chilled milk with grated nutmeg added to it will relieve daytime fatigue. After taking the drink, a person will feel the body relax, the anxiety will be removed, the headache will go away, a calm and good sleep will come.

Milk with nutmeg has a beneficial effect on the digestive system, helps with sleep disorders.

The effect of eating nutmeg with kefir

The combination of nutmeg and kefir can do a person a bad job. Products that are not in harmony with each other can disrupt the functions of the liver and cause a person’s panic state, that is, affect his mental health.

Nutmeg Oil: Properties and Applications

The fruits and the tree itself are the raw material for a unique product - nutmeg oil. It is a pale yellow liquid simultaneously with a sharp, spicy and sweet aroma, with musky and woody tones. To obtain the oil, only ripened and already bursting fruits of the aromatic muscatel are chosen. Directly the oil itself is made from the nuclei of the fruit. But you can buy oils made from the flowers of nutmeg or soft peels (matsisa), which covers the seed of the fetus. The difference between matsis oil is only a more delicate aroma.

To obtain peanut butter, nuts are first crushed, steamed, or steamed. Then, the final product, peanut butter, is extracted by distillation. Nutmeg oil does not lose its original properties for five years, subject to all storage rules. Using it in concentrated form is dangerous due to toxicity.

Application

1. Nutmeg oil ideally adjoins to essential oils of spicy, wood and flower types, creating unique aromas together with them.
2. Great effect of nutmeg oil on the sphere of emotions.Thanks to the warming effect, nervous and frosty tremors are quickly eliminated, calm comes after conflict or stressful situations, and the manifestation of tantrums stops.
3. Nutmeg has the ability to see the beauty of the world. A person under his influence feels the pleasure and happiness of life. The positive effect of oil on memory is known. It is used in meditation, reflection, gives strength to achieve goals, enhances intuition.
4. In the field of erotica, oil plays the role of the most powerful aphrodisiac, enhancing sensations, stimulating blood circulation, carrying feelings that are bright and unique.
5. As a therapeutic, nutmeg oil stimulates the heart and circulatory system. The tonic and warming effect makes it indispensable if you need to resist the cold. The functioning of the bronchi improves under the influence of nutmeg. They acquire greater elasticity, the depth of processes in the respiratory system increases.
6. Oil stimulates the activity of the digestive organs, because under its influence the production of enzymes is enhanced. They help get rid of heaviness in the stomach, feelings of nausea, and prevent the spread of infectious processes. The tool has a beneficial effect on muscles and joints prone to pain, swelling due to neuralgia, osteochondrosis, arthritis.
7. Nutmeg is used in situations where it is necessary to stop bleeding, for example, with abnormal bleeding during menstruation.
8. In the cosmetic field, nutmeg oil is most often used as a means of stopping hair loss. It also stimulates their growth. Oil heals the skin from lesions by the fungus.
9. The household sphere uses nutmeg oil when it is necessary to make personal flavors or flavor strong and other drinks with just one or two drops of the product per standard package or container.

Harm and contraindications of nutmeg oil
Nutmeg is harmful if used in a concentrated state due to its high degree of toxicity. To lower the concentration, it is bred using vegetable oils or other vehicles.

Due to the influence of oil on menstrual processes, a categorical ban is imposed on its use by women during pregnancy. It is contraindicated for people who, under the influence of the aroma of oil, can quickly go into a state of nervous excitement. Epilepsy, manic and depressive disorders, nervous breakdowns should also be a reason for refusing to use nutmeg.

Oil has the property of causing a state of euphoria. The duration of contact with him should be limited to 4 hours per day.

If a person applies oil directly to the skin, for some time he will feel a burning or pinching. It is important to remember that pure oil applied to the skin for a long time can lead to a burn, it must be diluted with base oils - olive, peach, linseed, grape seed oil.

Harm and contraindications

Doctors indicate the next optimal dosage - 1 nut for every 10 kilograms of a person’s weight. If we are talking about seasoning, then a pinch on the tip of the knife is enough, since it is very fragrant and concentrated.

Exceeding the dosage is fraught with side effects:

1. Acute allergic reaction (up to Quincke's edema or anaphylactic shock).
2. Increased acidity, which can provoke heartburn, exacerbation of gastritis or ulcers.
3. Lack of coordination of movements.
4. Disruption of the central system and the brain up to the hallucinogenic effect.
5. Toxic euphoria and concomitant withdrawal symptoms (hangover).
6. Drowsiness, lethargy and weakness.
7. Cramps, nausea, and vomiting.

In rare cases, with acute individual intolerance, a fatal outcome is possible.

Nutmeg is strictly contraindicated for children of preschool age, pregnant women and nursing mothers, the elderly, patients with ulcers, high acidity, gastritis, colitis and other gastrointestinal disorders. Also, it is undesirable to use the nut in pure form for drivers before a long intense trip.

As they say, the good should be in moderation, especially when it comes to the spicy product.

How to choose and store nutmeg

The consumer sees two types of nutmeg in stores: whole and ground into powder. The second is often a fake low-quality nut product. Therefore, it is more profitable to purchase whole nuts.

They should be in well-sealed packaging, on which the expiration date should be read. An expired shelf life spoils the aroma of the essential oils contained in them.

For storing whole nuts and powder, it is important to use a container with a tight-fitting lid.

Keep the spice in a cool place, away from the gas stove, battery, heater, water and sun. All these circumstances destroy the aroma of nutmeg. Proper storage will prolong the safety of the taste of nutmeg for a long time. It is even more profitable to purchase whole nuts, and to bring them into a powdery state before use.

The use of nutmeg in cooking

Nutmeg gives a special flavor to sweet and spicy dishes, desserts and pies, custards, gingerbreads, cheese sauces, soups, pasta, vegetables. Culinary specialists use it to give saffron color to bright dishes, that is, bright orange. The special taste will be different for meat, fish, apple pie, lasagna, mashed potatoes, if seasoned with this spice.

It is important to remember: heating can change the taste of nutmeg to bitter. Therefore, it is recommended to season them with food immediately before the end of cooking.

How to grate nutmeg

It has an already refined look when buying. To get the powder from it there is a special grater. If not, you can use a grater in which small and frequent holes. A blender and a meat grinder do a good job too. Fresh nutmeg powder should be added to the dish in smaller quantities than the recipe requires, because its aroma will be stronger.

How can I replace nutmeg

Each product has only its inherent features, and it is impossible to replace it with something completely identical. The finest nutmeg aroma creates difficulties for replacement, but it is possible to bring another spice closer to the ideal.

1. The best substitute can be matsis - the shell surrounding nutmeg. Its aroma is slightly weaker than that of the fetus itself, but its use does not require a change in the proportions indicated in the recipe.
2. An effective substitute for nutmeg can be a mixture of spices called "Garam Masala." Its usual ingredients are allspice, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg and matsis.
3. In some situations, nutmeg can be replaced with cinnamon, which has a smell with warm woody notes, as well as ginger, which is suitable for some dishes due to its spicier than nutmeg and, at the same time, spicy taste.
4. Cloves instead of nutmeg can be used when cooking savory and sweet dishes, drinks.
5. In the absence of nutmeg, Japanese or allspice is good, which will give a similar aroma to sauces, salty dishes, pastries. Moreover, there will be no problems with changing the proportions of the spice.
6. The similarity in the use of turmeric and saffron instead of nutmeg spice lies not only in the general nuances of the aroma, but also in the fact that with their help you can change the color of pastries, drinks.
7. If cardamom can perform a substitution function in any dishes, then anise is chosen for the preparation of sweet foods.
8. Cumin and mustard are used, if there is no nutmeg, in the preparation of meat and fish dishes.

The taste and color of any dish depends not only on its main components, but also on the seasoning. The special qualities of nutmeg are unique. But if necessary, it can be replaced with other spices, something reminiscent of its spicy aroma.

Interesting Nutmeg Facts

1. The place of birth of the tree is the Moluccas, which are called the "islands of spices." They are located between New Guinea and Sulawesi and are famous for the fact that they, in addition to nutmeg, grow rice, sago, cloves and many different useful plants.
2. With a possible height of 20 meters, its leaves can reach a length of 5 meters. This tree is a long-lived: it lives 100 years, but it gives the first fruits when it reaches the age of ten. Its shape resembles a pyramid.
3. The first to appreciate the special value of nutmeg were Europeans, namely the Portuguese and Dutch. There is a legend according to which the great Magellan sold to his creditors instead of money seeds of nuts and cloves from this island.
4. The second producer of nutmeg in the world is Grenada, an island on which in the 18th century the British planted nutmeg trees.
5. The French became famous for stole the seeds of this tree from its homeland and propagated it in Mauritius.
6. With the advent of nutmeg plantations in Brazil, India, Africa, the islands of Indonesia, the price of nutmeg has decreased. This spice has become available not only for selected dishes. Once, for a pound of this nut (454 grams), the British paid three adult sheep or a cow.

Nutmeg is known as a healer, a wonderful seasoning for a wide variety of dishes, dishes and drinks. Among other things, nutmeg is considered a carrier of magical powers.

Nutmeg Photo