Ground Nutmeg
Description
Nutmeg as a spice - use in the kitchen
In the kitchen, not only nutmeg is used, but also nutmeg, which is more spicy than a nutmeg. Both nutmeg and macis are used after crushing as an aromatic seasoning, although in European cuisine, mace is not that popular. The exception is Bavarian cuisine, where it is used in the production of white sausages.
The nutmeg stands out from other spices with its aroma and sharp and slightly bitter taste. It gives an intriguing character to spicy dishes, as well as pastries and sweet desserts.
Culinary recipe with this product : Noodles with ham
Nutmeg (spice) - properties and nutritional values
Nutmeg is most often used as a spice in the kitchen, but due to its healing properties it has also found application in natural medicine. However, the greatest interest is aroused due to its hallucinogenic properties. The substance in nutmeg can act as a drug and cause intoxication.
Check what properties nutmeg has, when it has a health effect and when it can be harmful.
The nutmeg is the middle part of the seed of the fruit of the root nutmeg, an evergreen tree native to the Spice Islands (Molucca Island). Nutmeg is most often used as a spice in the kitchen, but due to its healing properties it has also found application in natural medicine. In addition to nutmeg, the nutmeg spice also provides another spice - the so-called mace flower (Macis). It is a stone aril - a bright red casing, resembling a net, which is used in the kitchen after drying. However, the most popular is nutmeg, not only because of its culinary and health-promoting properties, but also because of the content of a psychoactive substance called myristicin.
Nutmeg like a drug?
Nutmeg owes its strong smell and bitter-spicy flavor to the oil. Its main ingredient is myristicin, which exhibits hallucinogenic properties. Nutmeg can have a negative effect only after consuming large doses of it. In small amounts, nutmeg has healing properties. 100 g of dry powdered fruit contains 1050 mg of myristicin, while nutmeg oil contains about 4%. The hallucinogenic dose is 60–315 mg (6–30 g powdered scoops). Symptoms of the action of myristicin appear 3-6 hours after ingestion and disappear after 24 hours. It causes anxiety, disorientation in time and space, detachment from reality and daydreams, a feeling of floating in the air, delusions and visual hallucinations. In high concentrations it can be very dangerous to your health because it causes liver cancer. However, the culinary use of nutmeg should not produce the effects described. It is worth knowing that myristicin is also a component of the seed oil of some varieties of parsley.
Nutmeg for potency
Nutmeg stimulates the nervous system and therefore can affect sexual function in humans. According to scientists, sexual stimulation results from the presence of irritating substances that cause slight, selective congestion in the small pelvis, including the genital organs. Apparently, just a pinch is enough to achieve this effect.
Nutmeg oil, on the other hand, can be used externally as a component of preparations that alleviate rheumatic pains, joints and tendons. It is worth knowing that the main ingredient of the knob, myristicin, is the starting substance in the production of "love tablets" - MDA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine). Initially, MDA, like amphetamines, was regarded as an appetite suppressant. It was not until the 1950s that the effects of MDA on human sexual function were known.
Nutmeg improves digestion, can prevent stomach ulcers
Nutmeg increases the secretion of gastric juice, thanks to which it improves digestion. Besides, it is carminative. Researchers' preliminary research also shows that nutmeg can prevent the development of stomach ulcers. All thanks to the content of a substance called eugenol, which is present in significant amounts not only in nutmeg, but also in clove oil. The mechanism by which this substance acts against ulcer is not clear. Eugenol has been credited with inhibiting the release of leukotrienes (substances involved in inflammation), thereby preventing damage to the lining of the stomach.
Nutmeg can prevent blood clots
Nutmeg ingredients inhibit the aggregation (clumping) of platelets, and thus - prevent blood clots. This effect is comparable to indomethacin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that performs the same function.
Worth knowing
Nutmeg can cause an allergy Nutmeg, like other spices such as paprika, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger, can cause food allergy symptoms in people allergic to herbaceous pollen.