Nutmeg powder has been a valued commodity for centuries. The Chinese were the first to recognize nutmeg’s medicinal abilities, and the Indonesians were the first to inhale the aroma and expand the awareness. It was used to produce visions, but when used in extreme quantities it may prove fatal.
The scent as well as the taste made nutmeg a popular spice during the 15th and 16th centuries. Byzantine traders sold it to the Arabs, and those folks named it “mesk.” The French called it “noix muguette” and the English transliterated the name to “nut meg.”
The Europeans quickly fell in love with this tantalizing spice. Middle Eastern food was filled with it, and the Portuguese set out to find the Spice Islands in Indonesia and cultivate it themselves. Due to this, Grenada and Indonesia now produce a large amount of the world’s nutmeg, and Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, and St. Vincent in the Caribbean produce large amounts of nutmeg as well.
The active components in nutmeg oil are myristicin, limonene, l-terpineol, d-pinene, d-borneol geraniol and safrol. The oil is colorless, but smells and tastes like nutmeg powder. The cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries use the oil in toothpaste and in cough syrup, and in traditional medicine it is used to treat nervous disorders as well as digestive issues.
The New England Journal of Medicine published an article on the narcotic effects of nutmeg oil in 1964 and once again in 1971. The psychoactive powers of the oil are well documented. Students, prisoners, sailors, alcoholics, and marijuana users switch to nutmeg oil from time to time to experience out of body experiences as well as to “get high,” but the impact of nutmeg on the internal system can be debilitating if it is not used with great care.
Other reports list nutmeg essential oil as an aphrodisiac since low doses can increase the libido, and sexual activity as well. The sexual stimulating properties of the oil can be traced back to the chemical compound myristicin. Traditional medicine has been using nutmeg oil to treat male sexual disorders for years, and aromatherapy also uses it to stimulate the libido.
The recreational qualities of nutmeg may take about four hours to manifest. Large doses can produce uncontrollable sleep as well as dehydration. Nutmeg oil does help some people reach a state of bliss, which some consider a hypnotic state. The experience seems like another reality, and that reality can increase the sex drive in some men, especially when blended with ylang-ylang and sandalwood. The oil stimulates the libido and has a pleasing aroma and great taste, and these qualities make nutmeg renowned both as a seasoning and a tool for healing.
