Nutmeg Fruit - Health Benefits, Uses and Important Facts

Nutmeg is often called Jatiphal or Jaiphal in India. Nutmeg is an important herb in Ayurveda because it has many health benefits. It's one of the oldest spices, grown for over 1000 years, like pepper and clove. As the nutmeg fruit ripens, it stiffens up and breaks open, revealing the seed pod. The seed is approximately the size of a quarter, but it is completely round and only slightly oval in shape. Its colour is also dark brown. Fresh nutmeg gives food the best taste.

The nutmeg fruit itself can also be used as a spice, but it gives a slightly different flavour. Since different kinds of fruit and herb trees absorb different kinds of nutrients, it can be good for your health to eat a wide range of spices, like nutmeg and nutmeg fruit.

More about nutmeg fruits:

When the fruits are ready, they split open, showing a bit of the dark seed and the red mace that covers it. The seed and mace are then taken out of the fruit. Care must be taken to pull the mace out so that it keeps its flower shape. The mace and seeds are then dried by the sun or in a nutmeg mace dryer before being sold at the local market.

Nutmeg fruit’s taste:

The nutmeg fruit can be eaten, but it doesn't taste good when it's raw. Most of the time, the nutmeg fruit is juiced, and sugar is added to make it taste better.

Or, you can dry it out and use it as a spice.

The seed is used to make the spice nutmeg, but the taste of the fruit is bitter, acidic, piney, and a little bit nutty.

Is nutmeg fruit or nut?
 

It is a fruit. The seed of the nutmeg fruit is what is used to make the spice. The nutmeg fruit has a seed in the middle.

Nutmeg seed:

The nutmeg seed can be kept in a mason jar in the fridge for a long time. To get fresh nutmeg, take a nutmeg seed, cut off a small piece of it, and grind it up in a mortar and pestle. Or, you can just use a grater to cut the nutmeg into small pieces.

Nutmeg is very useful because it can be used in almost any dish. Dishes like pumpkin pie, pot pie, and even oven-roasted vegetables are big hits. Especially when combined with rosemary and whole garlic cloves.

Difference between mace and nutmeg:

Mace is found on top of the pod that holds a nutmeg seed. Mace is a strange plastic that has a rubbery texture and is also used as a spice, like nutmeg. It tastes almost exactly like nutmeg, but it doesn't have as strong of a taste. So, it goes better with some dishes than others.

 Health benefit of nutmeg fruits:

Nutmeg has many antioxidant compounds, such as plant pigments like cyanidins, essential oils like phenylpropanoids and terpenes, and phenolic compounds like protocatechuic, ferulic, and caffeic acids. Studies in test tubes have also shown that nutmeg extract fights free radicals in a powerful way. This prevents the start and spread of many long-term diseases, such as certain cancers, heart diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Nutmeg is a good source of important nutrients like potassium and calcium, which make our bodies stronger and better able to fight off germs and bacteria. This boosts our immune system and keeps our overall health in good shape.

Nutmeg is an aphrodisiac that makes the brain's nerves work faster. During the time of the Greeks and Romans, it was often used as a brain tonic. It is known that its essential oil can help treat depression and anxiety because it makes people feel less tired and stressed.