Ground Nutmeg

Also Known As: Myristica or Nutmeg Spice

Origin: Indonesia

Ingredients: Nutmeg Ground

Taste and Aroma: Strong, warm, nutty and sweet.

Uses: Baking, desserts, pies, cakes, breads, sauces, stews, cheese, sausages and vegetables.

Substitutes: Mace Ground, Nutmeg Whole, Korintje Cinnamon Powder or Apple Pie Spice.

Fun Fact: Early traders from Connecticut were believed to create fake nutmeg out of wood, which is how Connecticut came to be know as The Nutmeg State.

Health Values:

• May help to reduce high blood pressure and
• May help to reduce stomach pain and relieve the symptoms of diarrhea, nausea and flatulence
• May act as an anti-inflammatory to relieve joint and muscle pain
• May act as an appetite stimulant

This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is for educational purposes only.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

With a warm, sweet flavor, Whole Nutmeg is the seed of any of several species of trees in the genus Myristica, the most important of which is Myristica fragrans, indigenous to Indonesia and Malaysia. Nutmeg grows wrapped in a bright red, hard, web-like casing with a similar warm, sweet flavor. This coating is ground into the spice known as mace. The Nutmeg seed is ground or grated and used to add depth to savory dishes or to round out other sweet flavors. It is most notably associated with winter baking and spiced beverages.

This highly treasured, costly spice boomed in popularity during the Middle Ages, being used frequently as flavoring, preservative and a medicinal agent. Its rumored ability to ward off the plague contributed to its skyrocketing price, which led to a bloody war between the Dutch and the English over who would control production. Nutmeg's medicinal uses are extensive. The spice is useful as a sleep aid, a skin brightener, a digestive aid, an antibacterial, a circulation booster and much more. Nutmeg oil also contains a compound called eugenol that is used in dentistry to provide relief from toothaches.