Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) is the seed of the nutmeg tree. Its many health benefits include helping to control blood pressure, relieve menstrual cramps, reduce gas, and fight bad breath.
These benefits come from the phenolic compounds and essential oils found in nutmeg that possess bactericidal, analgesic, carminative (anti-flatulent), and antispasmodic properties. These include myristicin, eugenol, pinene, and sabinene.
Nutmeg can be found in grocery stores in the form of seeds or ground nutmeg and used as a spice in recipes for cakes, pies, meat, soup, and yogurt. Nutmeg can also be used to make tea and as an essential oil.
Health benefits
The main benefits of nutmeg are:
1. Helping control blood pressure
Nutmeg contains myristicin and eugenol, phenolic compounds and essential oils with antioxidant properties that help control blood pressure by improving arterial health and promoting good blood flow.
See natural remedies for high blood pressure.
2. Improving mood
Myristicin is an important essential oil found in nutmeg that acts on the central nervous system and may have the potential to help improve mood by decreasing symptoms of depression and promoting a sense of overall well being.
Scientific studies involving human subjects are still needed to confirm these benefits.
3. Relieving menstrual cramps
Nutmeg is high in eugenol and is also a good source of sabinene and pinene, which are monoterpene compounds with analgesic and antispasmodic properties that help relieve period cramps by decreasing muscle contractions and pain.
Also recommended: Top 12 Teas for Cramps for Quick Period Pain Relief tuasaude.com/en/natural-remedies-for-menstrual-cramps4. Fighting bad breath
Nutmeg possesses bactericidal properties that can help eliminate bacteria on the tongue that can lead to cavities and cause bad breath.
Nutmeg also has has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties that can help relieve a toothache caused by cavities or broken teeth.
5. Improving digestion
Nutmeg contains large quantities of eugenol, an essential oil with anti-flatulent effects that improves digestion by helping to combat excess gas.
In addition, myristicin, pinene, and sabinene are bioactive compounds found in nutmeg that have digestive and anti-inflammatory properties that improve liver function and help treat gastritis as well as gastric ulcers.
6. Preventing cardiovascular disease
Nutmeg combats free radicals and impedes the oxidation of fat cells, helping to control levels of "bad" (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood and preventing cardiovascular diseases including heart attack, atherosclerosis, and stroke.
7. Maintaining a healthy liver
Nutmeg is rich in myrislignan, a lignan with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective properties that supports liver health by helping detoxify the liver.
Scientific studies involving human subjects are still needed to confirm this benefit.
8. Decreasing the risk for cancer
Nutmeg contains large quantities of myristicin, which stimulates glutathione S transferase, an enzyme with antioxidant properties that protects healthy cells against damage caused by free radicals, thereby decreasing the risk of cancer.
9. Inhibiting bacterial growth
Nutmeg essential oil contains bioactive compounds such as carvacrol, p-cymene, α-pinene, and caryophyllene that possess antimicrobial properties that help fight bacteria like Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (staph).
10. Reducing inflammation
The anti-inflammatory action of nutmeg seems to be related to the reduction of inflammatory proteins like interleukin-6 as well as an increase in the levels of interleukin-10, a protein with anti-inflammatory properties.
Nutmeg may therefore have the potential to act as a complementary therapy in the treatment of chronic inflammatory pain, particularly related to the joints.
How to use
Nutmeg is a seed that can be grated or ground into a spice to be used in recipes for cakes, pies, meat, soup, fruit salad, and yogurt.
Nutmeg can also be added to beverages like cappuccinos, hot chocolate, warm milk, and smoothies.
In addition, nutmeg can also be consumed in the form of a tea or essential oil that can be used for massage or steam inhalation.
Recipe for tea
Nutmeg tea is usually prepared using grated nutmeg.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 nutmeg seed, freshly grated;
- 500 mL (16 oz) water.
Directions:
Bring the water to a boil in a pot on the stove. Remove from the heat and add the grated nutmeg, letting steep for 10 minutes. Strain and drink immediately.
It is important to consult a doctor or herbal medicine specialist about how much nutmeg tea is safe for you to drink and for how long.
Side effects
Consuming excessive amounts of nutmeg (5 g or more) can cause side effects like delirium and hallucinations, loss of muscle coordination. tachycardia, arrhythmias, increased respiratory rate, alterations in blood pressure, vertigo, nausea, and blurry vision.
In addition, taking large quantities of nutmeg for a prolonged period of time can lead to muscle failure and death.
Contraindications
While nutmeg can be used to help manage certain conditions, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not consume nutmeg in the form of tea or essential oils.