What is nutmeg? Effects of nutmeg that you did not know

What is nutmeg, what is the effect and how to use it? Join Tnhelearning.edu.vn to learn about its uses and symptoms that it can be cured.

What is nutmeg?

What is nutmeg?

Name and origin of nutmeg

Nutmeg is a species of flowering plant, also known as nutmeg, scientifically known as Myristica fragrans, belonging to the family Myristicaceae.

Nutmeg is native to the Molucca islands in the Pacific Ocean, distributed mainly in Asia such as Malaysia, India, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, … and the western Pacific. In Vietnam, the nutmeg tree is found mostly in the southern regions.

Currently, the most used type of nutmeg is the nutmeg tree , which is used as a popular spice and used in Eastern medicine remedies.

Characteristics of the nutmeg tree

The nutmeg tree is large, the trunk is smooth and about 8-10 meters high, gray-brown in color. The leaves are green and tough, about 5-15cm long, the broad lanceolate leaves alternate with each other.

Flowers are yellow-white, growing in clusters in the interstitial leaves . Each male inflorescence consists of 3-20 flowers with a length of 1-3cm, the female inflorescence has only 1-2 flowers, the corolla is ovate and has an outer coat.

Nutmeg is a nut, yellow spherical with a diameter of about 5-8cm, when ripe, the fruit splits into two pieces revealing a thick, hard shelled nutmeg inside.

Characteristics of nutmeg

Nutmeg has an egg shape, the seed coat has a red shell alternating with brown, when removing the seed coat, the nutmeg kernel is brown, covered with white powder, many grooves and wrinkles are quite blurred. bland. Nutmeg powder has a strong aroma, a slightly bitter taste and is reddish-brown or gray-brown in color.

Chemical composition of nutmeg

Chemical composition of nutmeg

In nutmeg contains 14.6 -24.2% starch, 7.5% protein, about 40% solid fat (nutmeg butter), in addition there are about 8-25% essential oil, 3-4 % resin, 1.7% inorganic matter, calcium, phosphorus, iron and 14.3% water.

Nutmeg butter contains 70-75% Myristicin, 2-3% essential oil. The essential oil in nutmeg has a healing effect.

Pharmacological effects of nutmeg

Pharmacological effects of nutmeg

Antibacterial effect

The essential oil and other extracts of nutmeg have strong antibacterial properties, against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and many fungi. Hence nutmeg is considered as a natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agent.

Stimulating and inhibitory effects

Nutmeg, if used in low doses, will increase the secretion of gastric juice, stimulate intestinal peristalsis to help eat well and digest well. High doses can cause fatigue, nausea, headache, and drowsiness.

Inhibits tumor growth and metabolism

By inhibiting the activity of LDH – a key enzyme in regulating cancer metabolism, nutmeg helps inhibit the growth and metabolism of cancer cells.

Uses of nutmeg

Uses of nutmeg

Make seasoning

Nutmeg is used as a spice to prepare dishes because it has a sweet and nutty taste, in addition, it is also used to enhance the flavor of coffee when adding nutmeg to coffee.

Enhance female physiology

Nutmeg powder has the ability to regulate hormones, balance hormones in women to help improve needs and physiological ability in women. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects for women during menstruation.

Relieve musculoskeletal pain

In the composition of nutmeg contains menthol, which has a good effect in reducing muscle and joint pain and reducing inflammation.

In addition, researchers conducted an experiment in 2016 and published the results on the Food and Nutrition Research site, which also showed that, compared with traditional pain relievers like diclofenac, nutmeg essential oil It is more effective in reducing swelling and joint pain.

For pain relief, you can add some powdered nutmeg to the dish to work from the inside or mix some nutmeg oil with coconut oil or olive oil to massage on the painful areas.

Body purification

Nutmeg is used as a health-promoting tonic, cleaning toxins left in the body, besides can dissolve kidney stones, help kidneys and liver work effectively thanks to active ingredients in nutmeg.

Improve insomnia

Insomnia is improved by stimulating the production of Serotonin, thereby alleviating nervous tension thanks to the magnesium content in nutmeg. Before going to bed, drink a glass of warm milk mixed with nutmeg powder daily to help treat insomnia and sleep better.

Helps blood circulation

Using the essential oil of nutmeg increases blood circulation, so the blood will circulate better. Nutmeg also helps reduce blood pressure, stress of the cardiovascular system thanks to its potassium content – a substance that helps dilate blood vessels. Not only that, when using nutmeg, the body will be provided with a amount of calcium to help improve bone health, slow down the aging process of bones.

Good for oral health

Nutmeg has antibacterial properties, so it will be able to eliminate bacteria that help improve bad breath, increase the immunity of gums and teeth. Mix some nutmeg with oregano essential oil to brush your teeth, mix a few drops of nutmeg essential oil in warm water to gargle to improve the condition of your teeth.

Anti-Depression

Avicenna’s Journal of Phytomedicine in 2012 reported on a study that showed that nutmeg contains myristicin and elemicin, an oil compound that activates neurotransmitters, helping with sedation and anxiety. europe.

Use a little nutmeg powder mixed with Indian gooseberry juice and drink it twice a day for the best effect.

Enhance brain function

In nutmeg contains myristicin, this substance stimulates and maintains nerve pathways in the brain to help improve memory, increase the brain’s ability to focus.

A study published in the Journal of Neurology in 2009 also showed that the use of nutmeg benefits our nervous system. Drinking nutmeg powder mixed with warm water every day helps to strengthen the brain.

Improve digestion

Nutmeg is also effective in reducing nausea, indigestion, flatulence and diarrhea. In addition, it also increases gastric and intestinal secretions to help digest food better.

The use of nutmeg extract in the treatment of diarrhea has also been studied and published in Methods and Findings in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology.

So, you can add some nutmeg powder to your soup to help improve digestion.

Improve immune system

Minerals and vitamins in nutmeg have antioxidant capabilities that help strengthen the immune system, protecting the body from damage by free radicals.

In 2013 the Journal of Al-Nahrain University published a study on the fact that ethanol and acetone in nutmeg have antibacterial properties that help protect the body from bad agents.

Use nutmeg to boost your immune system by adding nutmeg powder to water, tea, cocktails or soups.

Remedies with nutmeg

Remedies with nutmeg

Remedies for diarrhea, abdominal pain, indigestion, vomiting, poor appetite

Method 1 : Finely grind 0.5g of nutmeg and 0.2g of cloves into powder. Then mix it with water and 1g of milk sugar, divide it into 3 parts and drink it during the day.

Method 2 : Grind into a mixed powder of 80g of nutmeg, 40gr of cloves, 100gr of cinnamon and 30gr of samosa and mix well with 250gr of Calcium Carbonate and 500gr of sugar. Mix 0.5-4g with water every day and drink once a day.

Remedies to treat anorexia, diseases that can cause defecation

Grind an inch each of nutmeg, dandelion, and 1.5g black ox into a fine powder, then make small pea-sized pellets. Drink 3 times / day after eating, each time take 10-20 tablets.

Diarrhea remedy

Method 1 : 6gr of nutmeg, 10-20gr of bone marrow, 10gr of five vizies, 15gr of ginseng and 9gr of corn tussock with water to drink.

Method 2 : Sac 5gr of nutmeg, 5gr of five vitriol, 4gr of tudu corn, 10gr of bone marrow, 3 big apples with 3 slices of fresh ginger into medicine, then mixed with water to drink before sleeping.

Remedy to treat anorexia, clammy intestines

Cut 3 holes on 1 nutmeg and then put 3 small frankincense balls inside and seal, use with rice water 5g/1 time, for children, 2.5g/1 time.

Remedy to treat stomach pain, intestines screaming

Use 1g of peeled nutmeg, crush it and mix it with 2g of white vermicelli with fresh ginger juice to make a nutmeg powder packet, then grind it into small pieces. Take the drug 2 times a day on an empty stomach, use 3g with rice water.

Treatment of menorrhagia, dysmenorrhea, back pain

Use equal amounts of powdered nutmeg, fenugreek, cardamom, cloves, camphor, capers to make a fine powder. Drink 2 times a day, each time use 0.75-1.5g of powder taken with honey to support effective treatment of menorrhagia.

Notes on using nutmeg

Notes on using nutmeg

Do not overdose on nutmeg because it can lead to poisoning the essential oil in nutmeg, causing symptoms such as dizziness, dilated pupils and convulsions.

There may be dizziness, loss of voice or voice change, mental clarity and increased risk of death if more than 7.5g per day is used.

Do not use nutmeg for people with typhoid fever and dysentery.

Although nutmeg is a medicinal herb that is used a lot in medicine, it also contains toxicity , so before using nutmeg, patients need to consult a doctor about the dosage and how to use it. Use nutmeg effectively.

Nutmeg has many uses in the treatment of diseases that we often encounter. Equip yourself with more useful knowledge through the information that Tnhelearning.edu.vn has just introduced to you.

Source: Vinmec

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