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surprising Health Benefits of Nutmeg | 05th May, 2017

Nutmeg is a popular spice that has a long list of associated health benefits, including its ability to relieve pain, soothe indigestion, strengthen cognitive function, detoxify the body, boost skin health, alleviate oral conditions, reduce insomnia, increase immune system function, and prevent leukemia, and improve blood circulation.
 
Nutmeg is one of two spices that grow on an evergreen tree with the scientific classification Myristica fragrans, also known as common nutmeg. It is native to islands near Indonesia, but is now a globally used spice. These trees bear nutmeg, which is the seed of the tree, as well as mace, a less common spice derived from the dried reddish shell of the seed. This is the only tree which is the source of two distinct spices in the world. It is commonly grown in the Caribbean, other tropical areas of the world, and also in Southern India in the state of Kerala.
 
Nutmeg is a delicate, slightly sweet spice that is widely used in cuisines around the world, including both Asian and western recipes. The tree is also highly valued because of the essential oils that are derived from the tree and leaves, and nutmeg butter is also a popular derivative food that packs a healthy punch. The essential oils from nutmeg extract are highly beneficial to health, and are frequently used in alternative and herbal medicine.
 
Nutritional Value Of Nutmeg
While nutmeg is only a spice that is used sparingly in dishes, it can still impact your health in a variety of ways, mainly due to its nutritive content of vitamins, minerals, and organic compounds related to the essential oils. These beneficial components include dietary fiber, manganese, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, copper, and macelignan. The many health benefits of nutmeg are explained in greater detail below.
 
Words of Caution: Nutmeg has come under considerable suspicion since the cases of accidental poisoning have increased in recent years. Once it was revealed that excessively consuming nutmeg can have psychotropic, hallucinatory, or narcotic effects on people, and so many people tried to duplicate those effects recreationally. Unfortunately, consuming a huge amount of nutmeg can seriously complicate your bodily processes, as it is a potent spice meant to be used in small quantities. Consuming too much nutmeg can result in seizures, irregular heart palpitations, and vomiting.
 
When used appropriately, as a spice, the benefits of nutmeg are obvious, but keep the amount under control, and find your thrills somewhere else!
 
1. Relieves pain Nutmeg can be used to treat inflammation and pain, which is why it is one of the staple ingredients on traditional Chinese medicine. It can be taken internally to treat ailments, like headaches or abdominal pain, and the oil can be rubbed into aching muscles and joints to reduce the pain of such conditions like arthritis. 
 
2. Helps you sleep If you have trouble getting off to sleep at night, then nutmeg and warm milk is an old remedy that many people trust. Nutmeg has a mild relaxing effect and warm milk is calming and comforting. Just warm up some milk (or almond milk) in a pan, sprinkle a little nutmeg powder over the top, and add honey to taste, and you will have the prefect, relaxing bedtime drink. 
 
3. Tonic for the brain The ancient Romans and Greeks valued nutmeg for its ability to boost mental powers. It is said that nutmeg has the power to stimulate the brain, boost energy levels, and help to alleviate the symptoms of stress. It can also improve your concentration, so it could be a useful pick-me-up tonic for when you are working late, or studying for an exam. 
 
4. Treats toothache One of amazing health benefits of nutmeg is that nutmeg essential oil can be an effective way to treat a toothache. It won’t heal a cavity, but it will certainly give you some temporary relief from the pain until you can get to a dentist. Just put a few drops of nutmeg essential oil on a clean cotton swab and dab it on the painful area of the gums and it will soothe the pain and reduce any swelling. Nutmeg also has antibacterial properties, so it can be used to treat bad breath too. 
 
5. Clears up acne and blackheads The antibacterial properties of nutmeg make it a good treatment for acne. Add nutmeg powder to milk to make a paste and then gently rub the paste into your face and leave it to sit for about an hour before you wash it off with warm water. It will fight the bacteria that causes acne and work as an exfoliator, which will help to unclog your pores and lift blackheads from your skin. 
 
6. It is a good source of antioxidants Another one of fabulous health benefits of nutmeg is that it is a good source of antioxidants, so adding nutmeg to your cooking will boost your intake of antioxidants, which we all need to help prevent free radicals damaging the cells of our body. Excessive free radical activity can cause a range of disorders, including cancer and heart disease. It is also what is partly responsible for the ageing of the skin and the formation of lines and wrinkles. 
 
7. Keeps hair shiny and healthy You can also use nutmeg oil as a part of your hair care routine. It is often used in store bought hair care products, but you can also use it as an ingredient of your natural DIYs . Nutmeg oil nourishes hair and brings a shine to it, it also helps to promote the growth of new hair. It increases the blood circulation to the scalp, which encourages new growth and gives more volume to your hair. 
 
8. Relieves diarrhoea One of great health benefits of nutmeg is that it is very good for settling the stomach and relieving diarrhoea. It has been used for this purpose in traditional folk medicine for hundreds of years, but there is now also some scientific evidence to back up the folklore. Research that was published in the journal ‘Methods and Findings in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology’ demonstrated that the nutmeg had effectively reduced diarrhoea in test subjects. 
 
9. Detoxes the liver and kidneys We all take in toxins from the air that we breathe, the water we drink, and the food that we eat, and the liver and the kidneys play an important role in filtering those toxins out of our systems. Many people believe that nutmeg can help the liver and the kidneys remove toxins from our bodies. It is also believed that nutmeg can help prevent kidney stones forming. 
 
10. A good source of minerals And finally, another one of fantastic health benefits of nutmeg is that adding nutmeg to your foods will provide you with a good boost of some of the minerals that we need for healthy bones and a properly functioning nervous system. A sprinkling of nutmeg will supply you with calcium, iron, manganese and potassium. 
 
Mawuena Workartey/ ghanahospitals.org

     
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