Nutmeg
By: Lexi Berry
Origin
In the 1660s, The British and the Dutch fought over nutmeg and other spices because it was fashionable with the wealthy and it was exotic and created hallucinations. The Dutch kept decapitating and massacring the British for it. They eventually made a treaty containing what one wanted the other had. The Dutch traded off Manhattan (in New York) and the British traded their last nutmeg-producing island they had and sugar-producing territory in South America.
Parts of the Plant
The nut is grown with a mace (scarlet covering over it). Those are dried separately and are used for different purposes.
Common Culinary Uses:
Recipe: Mile High Apple Pie:
Sweet and Savory:
Nutmeg is used in mainly desserts and drinks and can be used in entrées to give it more flavor to the dish.
Health Benefits:
Nutmeg is used in medicine for diarrhea, stomach spasms and pain, nausea, intestinal gas, cancer, kidney disease, and insomnia (trouble sleeping). Helps with toothaches, mouth sores, and joint pain when applied to skin.
Interesting Facts:
* Nutmeg is a good source of potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, zinc, and magnesium
* Nutmeg has been used by ancient Chinese and Indians for medicinal purposes for nervous systems and digestion systems.