In Hindi, it is known as Jaiphal. The nutmeg tree is also valued for its medicinal properties. The leaves and other parts of the tree are used in extracting essential oil as well as nutmeg butter, which are used for the purpose of beauty and have other health benefits.
Which part of nutmeg is used as medicine?
Traditional uses of nutmeg seeds include treatment of hemorrhoids, chronic vomiting, rheumatism, cholera, psychosis, stomach cramps, nausea, and anxiety. Nutmeg seed oil also has antiseptic, analgesic, and antirheumatic properties.
How is nutmeg used medically?
The spice has antibacterial properties that have proven particularly effective against oral pathogens that cause disease and bad breath. One study found that nutmeg acted as a potential antidepressant in male rats, and the spice has been used for its invigorating properties in folk medicine.
Which part of nutmeg is used as spice?
Nutmeg is the seed or ground spice of several species of the genus Myristica. Myristica fragrans (fragrant nutmeg or true nutmeg) is a dark-leaved evergreen tree cultivated for two spices derived from its fruit: nutmeg, from its seed, and mace, from the seed covering.
What is the nutmeg shell used for?
The outer flesh is used for making jams and chutneys. The nutmeg is picked and the mace threads are taken from the outside of the nutmeg shell, and dried to get the mace. The nutmeg is the seed that is within the shell; a bit like an almond or brazil nut within its outer shell.
Do you Grate nutmeg with shell?
Begin by cracking open the nutmeg shell on a cutting board. You can do this by pressing down hard on the whole seed with a large knife or heavy pan. Peel away the shell and then finely grate the whole nutmeg seed at a forty-five-degree angle.
Why does nutmeg make you sleepy?
A natural chemical called trimyristin found in nutmeg is responsible for inducing sleep, relaxing your tired muscles and nerves and set in a sense of calm.
Does nutmeg have healing properties?
Nutmeg is found to have health benefits, including its ability to relieve pain, soothe indigestion, strengthen cognitive function, detoxify the body, boost skin health, alleviate oral conditions, reduce insomnia, increase immune system function, and prevent leukemia, and improve blood circulation.
What happens if I take nutmeg everyday?
Long-term use of nutmeg in doses of 120 mg or more daily has been linked to hallucinations and other mental side effects. People who have taken larger doses of nutmeg have experienced nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, agitation and hallucinations. Other serious side effects have included death.
Does nutmeg raise your blood pressure?
Nutmeg is packed with antioxidants and has a slew of anti-inflammatory properties, which have been shown to help reduce blood pressure and improve heart health.
Do you have to peel nutmeg?
You do not need to peel, cut or toast whole nutmeg seeds before preparing them. Grate the nutmeg with a microplaner, the smallest holes of a standard cheese grater or a specialized nutmeg grinder. For maximum potency, grate only as much nutmeg as you need to use immediately.
Is Whole nutmeg better than ground?
For the best tasting, nutmeg-spiced dishes, skip the pre-ground stuff and stick with using fresh, whole nutmeg! It has a reliable, super fragrant flavor and can be grated as needed.
What is a whole nutmeg called?
Nutmeg – Whole
Nutmeg, or Myristica fragrans, is a large light brown seed roughly the size of a plum pit, that provides two different spices: nutmeg, and mace. Nutmeg is the interior seed of the whole nutmeg seed, and mace is gathered from the thin red membrane inside the nutmeg shell.
How do you crack whole nutmeg?
Take your whole nutmeg and crack the shell open by smashing it. I find that pressing the nutmeg on a wood cutting board with the flat edge of a knife the best way to crack the shell. Peel away the shell completely from the nutmeg.
Why was nutmeg so valuable?
So, why was nutmeg so valuable? Well, Krondl likens it to the iPhone of the 1600s. It was fashionable among the wealthy. It was exotic and potent enough to induce hallucinations — or at least a nutmeg bender, as detailed in this account from The Atlantic.
Can we eat nutmeg shell?
the shell is mace, the inside is nutmeg. go easy on it mind, it’s poisonous in any quantity (like if you tipped a whole jar in something by mistake).
How long can you keep whole nutmeg?
about 4 years
Generally, you can assume that well stored whole nutmeg seeds will keep freshness for about 4 years, while ground nutmeg for about two years. That’s, of course, for the best quality. Provided that water won’t get to the spice, it should last well beyond that period, and in reasonably good shape.
Can you freeze whole nutmeg?
The freezer will not extend the shelf life of nutmeg. The extreme temperature will cause nutmeg to lose its potency in both flavor and aroma, making the spice useless in your favorite recipes. Nutmeg doesn’t belong outside, in the fridge, or in the freezer.
What does nutmeg do for a woman?
Even according to Ayurveda, this spice helps in calming the nervous system and improves blood circulation to the reproductive organs. This is the reason why it has been deemed as women’s viagra.
Is nutmeg good for diabetes?
Diabetes control: According to a study published in PubMed Central, nutmeg can help control blood sugar levels in the body, thereby, promoting diabetes control. It also stimulates a healthy function of the pancreas.
Is nutmeg good for pain?
Nutmeg oil alleviates pain via inhibition of COX-2 expression and reduction of blood Substance P level.