Medicinal & Nutritional Values Of Nutmeg

Nutmeg, also known as Myristica fragans, is a spice native to Indonesia and a popular edible and medicinal plant around the world since the 16th century. In addition to flavoring foods, Elizabethan doctors also claimed the spice had amazing medicinal properties that could improve digestion and protect people from the plague. Modern research now supports many of the claims made about nutmeg, revealing a wide range of health benefits. Nutmeg is not intended as a replacement for medical care, and you should consult with a doctor before purchasing nutmeg products.

Nutrients

Nutmeg provides a range of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals to the diet when consumed regularly. According to Susanna Lyle, Ph.D., author of "Eat Smart, Stay Well," nutmegs are a good source of vitamin A, C, iron, manganese and copper. In addition, nutmegs also provide protein, omega-6 fatty acids, dietary fiber and aromatic oils such as myristicin, eugenol, elemicin and safrole. Up to 40 percent of nutmeg is made up of the essential oil.

Infection

Nutmeg and nutmeg essential oil can be used in topical applications and as a food preservative to kill disease-causing pathogens. According to Drs. Joseph Pizzorno and Michael Murray, authors of "The Encyclopaedia of Healing Foods," nutmeg oil inhibits over 25 species of bacteria, including escherichia coli, bacillus subtilis and listeria monocytogenes. Eating nutmeg as a culinary spice may help to inhibit bacteria responsible for food poisoning, and nutmeg oil can be added to creams and ointments for topical treatments.

Liver Health

Nutmeg is a powerful protector of liver health and can defend liver tissues from chemical damage and inflammation. In a study published in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" in 2003, researchers from Shizuoka University in Japan studied the hepatoprotective effects of over 20 species of plants on mice. Of all the species tested, nutmeg had the strongest protective action on liver tissues, and its active compound, myristicin, had extraordinarily potent defensive effects on the liver. Researchers concluded that part of myristicin and nutmeg's liver protective actions were due to their ability to reduce inflammatory immune chemicals in the body that may cause damage to the liver.

Pain

Taking nutmeg internally may relieve symptoms of pain and inflammation. In an article published in the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology" in 2009, researchers from the University of Mississippi investigated the effects of nutmeg on the nervous system in mice. Nutmeg demonstrated significant pain-relieving and analgesic actions in the animals and also appeared to sedate the nervous system. Researchers concluded that myristicin was likely to metabolize into psychoactive products responsible for nutmeg's actions following digestion.

Safety and Toxicity

Nutmeg is an edible and safe spice that is well-tolerated by the majority of the population. According to Drug Information Online, some reports of adverse effects, drug interactions and allergies have been reported. Ingesting large amounts of nutmeg at once can cause psychosis, fever, shock and coma. Nutmeg is considered safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Consult with your doctor before combining nutmeg with prescribed medications as it may cause undesirable interactions with some drugs.