Nutmeg - Health Benefits
Myristicaceae
Part of Plant Used: Seed
Origin: Spice Islands, New Guinea
“A[n] herb is a friend of physicians and the praise of cooks.” Charlemagne, 9th century.
History: The nutmeg apple, produced by a 66 foot tall tree, is not actually eaten; it is only cultivated for the seed and the aril surrounding the seed, which are ground into the spices nutmeg and mace, respectively. In the Middle Ages, this was a prized and costly spice with some dispute as to whether it was used by Roman priests as incense. Folks in Elizabethan times thought nutmeg could ward off the plague and Connecticut’s nickname “The Nutmeg State” comes from a legend of shady traders whittling nutmeg from wood.
The fruit is a drupe or light yellow coloured outer skin with white inner flesh which splits open when ripe to reveal a brown nut or nutmeg covered in a crimson red lace which is called mace.
Health Benefits of nutmeg
1. Brain Tonic
The ancient Roman and Greek civilizations used nutmeg as a brain tonic. It can reduce anxiety, improves concentration and helps with depression and insomnia. Add a little ground nutmeg to a glass of warm milk to achieve relaxation and promote sleep.
2. Pain Relief
Nutmeg oil is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat inflammation and stomach pain. The oil can be used to bring relief from aching joints, muscle pain, gout and arthritis.
3. Indigestion Relief
Nutmeg has been effective in relieving digestion related disorders such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, bloating and flatulance. Rubbing nutmeg oil onto the stomach can remove excess gas from a bloated stomach and intestines. It can also stimulate one’s appetite.
4. Breath Freshner
Because of its antibacterial properties, nutmeg is effective in treating bad breath and gum problems and it also brings relief from toothache.
5. Detoxifies the liver and kidneys
As a tonic, nutmeg can cleanse the liver and kidneys and remove the toxins within. It is also effective in preventing and dissolving kidney stones.
6. Helps the Heart
Nutmeg can stimulate the blood circulation, reduces cholesterol therefore helping the
heart.
7. Prevents Menstrual Cramps
Nutmeg oil is very helpful for menstrual irregularities and menstrual cramps.
8. Child Birth
A regular massage of the abdomen with nutmeg oil, three weeks before delivery is believed to be very helpful for childbirth. Nutmeg oil blends well with many other essential oils including lavender, rosemary, orange, black pepper, clary sage, eucalyptus, ginger, ylang ylang, etc.
9. Always remember that nutmeg, like other spices can be toxic in high doses, so never use it in excess. A little goes a long way in terms of flavor as well as health benefits.
10. Nutmeg and mace contain many chemical compounds that are known to have antioxidant, disease preventing and health promoting properties.
11. The spicy nut contains fixed oil trimyristin and many essential volatile oils such as which gives sweet aromatic flavor to nutmeg like myristicin, elemicin, eugenol and safrole. The other volatile oils are pinene, camphene, dipentene, cineole, linalool, sabinene, safrole, terpeniol.
12. Nutmeg has anti-fungal, anti-depressant, aphrodisiac, digestive and carminative functions.
13. It is a good source of minerals like copper, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, zinc and magnesium. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese and copper are used by the body as co-factors for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. Iron is essential for red blood cell production.
13. It is also rich in many vital B-complex vitamins including vitamin C, folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin A and many flavonoid anti-oxidants like beta carotene and cryptoxanthins which are essential for optimum health.
0 comments:
Post a Comment