Portuguese and Dutch seafarers brought exotic fruits to Europe from the Malloux islands in the Indian Ocean.
According to the legend, it was the spices (nutmeg and cloves) that Magellan paid to creditors for financing round-the-world voyage.
In the XVIII century, the British managed to land there are so many nutmeg trees on the island of Grenada that this state still ranks second in production nutmeg in the world.
Until the XIX century, Holland and Portugal were monopolists in the market of spices.
Since then, the cost has plummeted, especially when the plantations of this crop began to bear fruit. in Brazil, India, on the islands of Indonesia, in Africa, where walnuts are also growing.
Table of contents
Where grows and what nutmeg looks like
The nutmeg tree itself has a height of 10-12 meters, low by tropical standards.
The fruits of this nutmeg are large peach-like fruits. Fully matured, they burst in half, the bone is exposed.
What does it look like? Nutmeg itself is nothing more than its core. (like apricot kernels). On one tree ripen dr 2000 such fruits.
The muscat tree bears fruit for about 100 years, but gives the fruits only the first 40.
The technology of their processing is quite difficult:
- nuts are dried;
- peel off;
- the cores are soaked in a mixture of seawater and coral (obtained from corals) lime with stirring;
- dried again.
By the time all these processes stretch for 3-4 months. At the exit - an oval nut in length of a little more than 2 centimeters (the larger - the more valued, they have a more intense flavor).
Calorie and vitamin composition
100 grams of nutmeg have a caloric value of about 550 kcal, but in such quantities, no one eats it, talking about the benefits of spices in terms of calorie inappropriate.
| 100 g of walnut | Squirrels | Fat | Carbohydrates |
| Percentage content,% | 20 | 50 | 7 |
| Calorie, kcal | 80 | 450 | 26 |
The value of the nut is not determined by the percentage and calories. Rich composition - as many as seven vitamins from group B, vitamins A, PP, E, H, U, K), saturated mineral complexes (magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, silicon, copper, iodine, molybdenum, cobalt, and others in the available chemical composition), essential and fatty oils, eugenols, saponins, pectic substances - this is what determines the true value of the spice.
Benefits for the body, beneficial properties for men and women
This unique combination of vitamins, essential oils and minerals makes a spiced walnut almost a panacea, given its real effectiveness.
In Israel, as well as in Germany, there are specialized clinics,which, in treatment and for rehabilitation, apply, besides the achievements of pharmacology, the healing potential of plants - and nutmeg as well.
By this method, the initial stages of varicose veins and tuberculosis, inflammatory processes of the liver and spleen, catarrhal and viral diseases, enuresis are treated.
Essential volatile oils of nutmeg produce a warming effect that with success used in massage compositions for the treatment of neuralgia, sciatica, myositis and various rheumatic lesions.
The use of the healing power of the nut is justified for both women and men. Even the simple regular use of this spice does not just enhance the immune system, prevents the development of cancer of the female genital twice (according to the Israeli clinic "Sharite").
Mastopathy and other benign tumors are successfully cured by the doctors of this clinic with complexes based on essential oils of nutmeg.
Walnut helps fight baldness. But its consumption also increases the amount of testosterone in the blood of men, which contributes to the restoration of male sexual health: impotence, premature ejaculation and other disorders.
Essential oils are used in perfumery and aromatherapy, prevent the penetration of viruses into the cells of the human body, which allows the use of spice during influenza epidemics.
By the way, they knew about it in the Middle Ages and used it during the plague of plague and smallpox.
A lot of interesting things about nutmeg will tell the program "To live healthy!":
Harm and contraindications, side effects
With all these wonderful properties, nutmeg can never be abused.
Otherwise, intoxication is possible:
- lack of coordination of movements;
- severe sleepiness;
- euphoria (hallucinogenic effects);
- subsequent withdrawal syndrome (hangover).
Contraindication is a special intolerance of the body - even fatal.
Watch out for abuse. nutmeg for pregnant and lactating women, children of preschool age.
Use in traditional medicine
The unique composition of this eastern spice not only contributes to the development of immunity.
Nutmeg Extracts often serve as components of various natural medicines: decoctions, ointments, compresses, tinctures. In most of them there is bee honey, milk.
Conveniently, these proven tools can be independently manufactured at home and used for treatment.
Here are some of them, developed by the centuries of Ayurvedic medicine in India and proven by modern practice.
Cold quickly passes after taking this tea:
- half a cup of boiling water;
- a quarter of a teaspoon of grated walnut;
- 1 teaspoon of natural honey (add directly to the drink when the boiling water has cooled slightly).
With diarrhea and other stomach disorders Prepare the mixture and take before meals for 20-30 minutes.Mix half a glass of yogurt (yogurt, kefir), half a cup of boiled water, half a teaspoon of powdered ginger, a third of a teaspoon of ground nut.
Warming paste for pain in muscles and joints (rheumatism, arthritis, neuralgia):
- 1/2 cup of walnut powder;
- 1 cup of pure olive oil;
- 1/2 cup natural anise oil.
How sedative and for insomnia It is recommended to prepare for the night: half a teaspoon of ground nut and 1 tablespoon of bee honey, 1 cup of lukewarm milk.
A warm compress of milk and grated nut removes a headache and helps to cope with a cold.
Gruel of grated walnut, diluted in half with water, boil for 7-10 minutes - this the mixture strengthens the hair roots. Gruel is applied to wet hair and incubated for 30-40 minutes.
Nutmeg-based Mask Recipes:
Expensive “Flongenzim” for the treatment of multiple sclerosis can be replaced, taking constantly 3 times a day for 2-3 hours before meals and 1 tablespoon of infusion:
- 1/2 cup of grated nutmeg;
- 200 ml of medical 96% alcohol;
- 200 ml of natural flaxseed oil.
Mixture insist in a dark warm place for two weeks. This remedy is completely harmless and, unlike Flongenzime, there is no need to take breaks in reception cycles.
With varicose veins and thrombophlebitis effectively helps tincture of 200 grams of ground nut, 1000 ml of vodka. After 10 days, it is already possible to take 20 drops in a dose three times a day (with water).
Tincture to increase male sexual activity:
- 1 cup of ground nutmeg;
- 1 cup of powdered ginger;
- 1/2 cup anise seed;
- 1 liter of medical alcohol.
Insist in dark glassware for at least a week, shaking daily. Take 2 tbsp daily, three times a day.
How to use in cooking?
For a long time, a spicy wonder has been used as a universal medicine, but already around the 6th century, walnut caught on in European cuisine, but already as a flavoring for dishes and spirits.
Already then it became clear that spices not only improve the taste of food and drinks, but also make them healthier.
The use of spicy additives increased the shelf life of products, because it suppressed the development of pathological microflora (they were not aware of this).
Nutmeg is added not only to alcohol, but also to many sweet dishes, most often to various pastries. The original taste gives a pinch of walnut blanks - jam and homemade jam. Often add it to fish and meat dishes.
Cooking sausages, smoked meats, various sauces now simply unthinkable without the use of nutmeg. It is often used for mushrooms and vegetables.
Italian pasta bolognese and bechamel sauce, candied fruit in Central Asia - they also have grated walnut.
And also in baked fruits, pumpkin dishes, seafood, typical of the whole Mediterranean cuisine. Italians add it to the ravioli and tortellini fillings.
The aroma of the nut forms a harmonious composition with other oriental spices. - Cardamom, ginger, allspice and turmeric.
For meat dishes, pasta, you can cook bechamel sauce. For 4 servings you will need:
- 100 grams of butter;
- 3 tablespoons of flour;
- 2 cups of milk;
- salt;
- ground white pepper;
- pinch of nutmeg.
Melt butter in thick-walled dishes. Fry the flour, stirring well until it begins to change color (this is literally 2 minutes).
Pour in a thin stream of milk, breaking up lumps and continuously stirring the sauce. Boil until thick, stirring continuously. Add nutmeg, pepper to taste and salt.
About nutmeg tells "1000 and one Sphere of Scheherazade":
Spicy-burning aroma of nutmeg - not only pleasant addition to your favorite dish. This pinch of powder contains a whole complex of useful substances that not only decorate the taste, but also are able to cure many diseases.
It makes no sense to buy ground nuts - the smell goes too fastno matter how you keep. The best option is to buy a special set: in a jar a few nuts and a special terochka.
Then a portion of freshly grated nutmeg will always be at hand.