The nutmeg tree produces egg-shaped seeds that are about an inch long and are dried before being ground into the common cooking spice. The trees don’t start producing until seven to nine years after planting. Full production isn’t achieved until the tree is 20 years old. Other common names include pipo, mace, musketbaum, and myristica.
WHERE IT CAN BE FOUND:
South Pacific Islands, Caribbean, Sri Lanka, Indonesia
PROPERTIES AND USE:
Carminative, sedative, antidepressant, hypotensive, hepatoprotective, aphrodisiac, analgesic, antibacterial, nervine. Treats diarrhea, stomach conditions, insomnia, memory loss, arthritis, rheumatism, poor circulation, hormone imbalance, toothache, Alzheimer’s disease, skin conditions, wounds
TRADITIONAL PREPARATION:
For insomnia, add a pinch of nutmeg to a warm glass of milk. For skin conditions and wounds, make a rub with raw honey and nutmeg. For toothache, add a pinch of nutmeg to 1 cup hot water. Use as a gargle. For all conditions, add nutmeg to your diet. In the Caribbean, equal parts nutmeg and egg yolk are combined and applied to infected umbilical cords.
