Nutmeg & Mace – Medicinal Benefits

Nutmeg & Mace – Nutmeg is one of the strongest Indian spices used to prepare a wide range of dishes. Its strong aroma can enhance the flavour of many Indian dishes like biryani, chicken, and kadai dishes. The same applies to mace as well. Nutmeg & Mace also possess some medicinal values. In fact, both serve as a quick remedy for many ailments in kids. Take a look.

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Nutmeg and mace – Their parents are the same

Nutmeg and mace come from the same plant — specifically the tropical evergreen tree called Myristica fragrans. In Malayalam, they are called ‘Jathikka’ & ‘Jaathipatri’ respectively, and they together form an integral part of Kerala spices. The tree produces a fruit that looks like a small apricot or peach. The inner kernel, which is spherical in size and hard and brown in appearance, is the nutmeg, and the red, web-like covering or aril is called mace. Both are dried and used.

Nutmeg & Mace – Know their medicinal benefits

For stomach pain

Serve nutmeg powder with banana to get relief from severe stomachache and discomfort.

For crying infants

If your baby wakes up at midnight and cries without a reason, serve them a little mace mixed in honey. You just need to apply this syrup to his tongue, and he will get quick relief.

For stomach-related and digestive problems

Make a fine paste of nutmeg and take 1 g three times a day with honey or warm water. It is good for gastric troubles, stomach pain, digestive problems etc.

For joint pain and headache

Grind nutmeg, add it to breast milk or starch. Heat it and apply to the forehead or affected areas to get relief from headache, joint pain, and pain & swellings due to edema.

For water loss due to dysentery

A person may lose excess water from the body due to dysentery. Make a nutmeg kashayam and serve with tender coconut juice. It is a quick remedy for dry skin.

For cold in children

For a runny nose and cold in children, crush a little mace and boil it in coconut oil. Use it as hair oil. You can make a fine paste of mustard oil and nutmeg powder and apply to your child’s head.

For frigidity in females and low libido in men

If diabetes is the reason for sexual frigidity in both sexes, there is one remedy using nutmeg. Serve nutmeg powder mixed with gooseberry regularly.

Some interesting facts

Same tree and two completely different spices with different tastes. Their flavours are also distinct. Isn’t it interesting?
Grenada, also known as “Isle of Spice” produces ~20–30% of the world’s nutmeg and mace. They are so significant that they are even included in their national flag.
In the 1600s, nutmeg was one of the most expensive spices in medieval Europe — worth more than gold by weight.
Many wars were fought for its supremacy, and the Dutch even burned nutmeg groves to keep supply low and prices high — leading to the phrase “nutmeg monopoly”.
The “Nutmeg Islands Massacre” (1621) is one such bad chapter of history, which resulted in the death or slavery of nearly 15,000 people.
Nutmeg contains myristicin, and its overdose can cause hallucination. It’s often used as a drug and is poisonous also, if taken in high quantities.
Nutmeg and mace form a part of Indian spices, especially in the preparation of Kerala Masala and Garam Masala powder.
Powdered nutmeg is an important ingredient used in the preparation of Boli, South Indian dessert. Read the recipe here.

Image source: Pixabay

Also read: Spices to spice your life! Know their medicinal benefits

Read a few more posts on medicinal plants. Click here to know.

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Nutmeg & Mace – Know their medicinal benefits

Nutmeg and mace – Their parents are the same