Nutmeg : A Natural Substitute for Sleep Pills And Health Supplements

Nutmeg is a superfood and an incredible spice that has got a nutty sweet flavor. It offers remarkable benefits for both health and beauty. The different parts of this tree such as the seeds and leaves are known for their remarkable medicinal properties. It promises you a safe and effective treatment of insomnia that promotes a peaceful and sound sleep naturally.

This wonderful spice is packed with valuable nutrients and minerals that include manganese, copper, vitamins such as B1, B6, and magnesium, etc. Nutmeg in the form of powder, essential oil and nutmeg butter are all helpful to utilize its health and beauty advantages.

What Is Nutmeg?

Nutmeg is an exotic Indian spice that has got sweet aroma in it. Due to this feature, it is added in the preparation of several dishes across various cuisines. In Hindi, Nutmeg is called ‘Jaiphal‘. It is a native of Indonesia, and mostly cultivated in the Spice Islands such as Malaysia, Southern India, and the Caribbean regions. In India, this spice is commonly cultivated in Kerala.

Nutmeg is classified as an aphrodisiac. A pinch of its powder is added to flavor steaks, soups, desserts, meat curries, beef stew and roulades. The flesh of the fruit is used to prepare chutneys, pickles, and other types of condiments. This spice is an integral part of Mughlai cuisines. People also add it to prepare several masala (spice) mixes for gravies, and curries of dishes.

How Nutmeg Helps Induce Sleep?

Besides cooking, nutmeg is a valuable medicinal compound that has the ability to treat severe health issues. One of them being insomnia. A lot of people today are seen to suffer from sleeplessness. There can be several reasons for it. Sleeping pills may come off as a quick way to treat this issue but can lead to severe negative repercussions in the future. The side effects of sleeping pills can be devastating and damaging to the health of the person.

Nutmeg is a natural way to treat this condition. A small dose of this ingredient exhibits a calming effect on your nerves. It is mentioned in ancient medicinal practices for its de-stressing and sleep-inducing effects. As per Ayurveda, drinking a glass of warm milk with a pinch of nutmeg, a few finely chopped almonds and a pinch of cardamom powder will induce sleep.

What Is The Science Behind Nutmeg And Sleep?

Nutmeg contains a natural chemical named trimyristin that contributes to sleep in a person. It relaxes your tired nerves and muscles in the brain and fills it with a sense of calmness and serenity. It also contains other chemicals and natural extracts such as myristicin, safrole, elemicin or eugenol that offer specific therapeutic and medicinal properties.

Studies have also found that nutmeg can also increase the duration of sleep in a person. With better sleep, you will start to feel more energized, refreshed and alert the next day. It uplifts your mood and makes you more productive. Along with nutmeg, you should also do a little amount of exercise, eat light dinner, and do meditation and breathing exercises to release stress and anxiety from the body. All these practices will make you happy and peaceful. This will, in turn, contribute to sleep.

How Should You Consume Nutmeg To Realize Its Sleep Promoting Benefits?

The sleep-inducing benefits of nutmeg increases when you consume it in conjunction will other specific sleep promoting ingredients such as milk, honey, amla juice and yogurt.  Here are some easy and simple combinations to use nutmeg to get proper sleep and rest at night in the body.

1. Jaiphal (Nutmeg) and honey mixture

Mix a spoon of honey and a pinch of nutmeg powder. Consume it fifteen minutes before you reach the bed.

2. Jaiphal tea (Nutmeg Tea)

This is another powerful way to get a quick and peaceful sleep with no effort. Jaiphal tea is a conventional home remedy that has been used since ancient times to treat insomnia. All you need is to take one jaiphal fruit and crush it. Now take a bowl and add water in it. Bring this water to a boil. Add a pinch of jaiphal powder in it.

Its essence will come to the water. Now switch off the flame. Strain the mixture. Consume this tea after half an hour from dinner. It will make your body ready for a calming sleep. Along with this benefit, this tea will also help boost metabolism and digestion in the body.

3. Jaiphal powder with warm water

This is the simplest way to induce sleep. All you need is to add a pinch of nutmeg powder in a glass of warm water. Drink it thirty minutes after dinner to prepare your body to sink into sleep mode.

4. Jaiphal in milk

Many people have the habit of drinking warm milk before going to bed. This is because warm milk is in itself a powerful sleep-promoting food. It contains an essential amino acid named tryptophan, that aids in increasing melatonin and serotonin levels in the body. In this way, it assists in sleep.

When milk is mixed with another potent sleep-inducing ingredient like nutmeg, you will see the best results in just a few minutes. Drink the mixture of warm milk and nutmeg fifteen minutes before sleep. You only need to add half a pinch of nutmeg in the milk. People who are suffering from sleep issues, and / or take sleep pills, should start drinking this wonder drink before dinner to get restful sleep.

Meanwhile, did you know about these benefits of Black Seed Oil?

5. Jaiphal in food

If you do not prefer drinking tea or milk in the night, then you can even add jaiphal powder to your soups, vegetable curries, or yogurt and consume it in dinner. It will do the job.

6. Jaiphal and amla juice

Amla is another great ingredient to augment the sleep-inducing power of nutmeg. Add a pinch of this ingredient to one glass of diluted amla juice. Drink it after your dinner. It will aid in digestion and promote sound sleep.

How Nutmeg Contributes To Your Overall Health?

Nutmeg is a widely available and affordable herb that has impressive nutritional composition. Inclusion of this potent spice can work wonders for your health. Here is a complete list of health benefits that nutmeg can offer you.

1. Helps Digestion

Nutmeg is a powerful herb that contains a wide range of essential oils that possess a carminative impact on the system. It is a great natural remedy to cure digestive troubles such as diarrhea, gas, bloating, constipation, and more. When consumed in soups, stews etc. it stimulates the production of digestive enzymes in the body. The high fiber content in it regularizes bowel movement, removes excess gas, and offers extensive relief to a person.

2. Brain Health

Nutmeg is an aphrodisiac that makes it a brain tonic. Due to this property, it is added to the formulation of several brain medicines and tonics. It helps stimulate the brain nerves and effectively treats anxiety and depression in the body. Regular consumption of this herb reduces stress and fatigue in the body.

Nutmeg is an adaptogen, that works as a sedative and stimulant as per the requirements of the body. Regular consumption of the herb improves concentration and work productivity in a person. It uplifts mood and keeps you in the right mental state.

3. Relives Pain

Nutmeg also has several essential volatile oils that include elemicin, myristicin, safrole and eugenol. The presence of volatile oils helps in the treatment of inflammatory diseases that includes muscle and joint pain in the body. All you need is to topically apply a few drops of nutmeg essential oil on areas that shows the signs of inflammation, muscle pain, joint pain, swelling, and soreness in muscles.

4. Gorgeous Skin

The benefits of nutmeg are not just limited to internal health, it is a vital ingredient for skin care. Its anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial nature helps in the efficient removal of blackheads, acne and blocked pores on the skin.

Here are two simple remedies to use nutmeg for the skin.

• Mix equal amounts of powdered nutmeg and honey together to form a fine paste. Now apply it on the skin. Aim for pimple-prone areas on the skin. Leave the mixture for around twenty minutes. Now wash it off with cold water.
• Another way to use nutmeg is by adding it in a teaspoon of milk and massage it all over the skin. Now rinse it with cool and freshwater. You will notice that your skin becomes clearer and smoother with every use.

Nutmeg powder can also be used in homemade face scrubs made from oatmeal, lemon peel, orange peel, and more.

5. Treats Bad Breath

Bad breath is an indication of a toxic system. This could be due to improper hygiene of the dental cavity, improper diet and unhealthy lifestyle. It can lead to the deposition of toxins in the vital organs in the body. This herb is also touted to assist in the purification of the complete body. It helps to clear toxins from the kidneys and liver.

Its anti-bacterial properties help in the efficient removal of bacteria from the mouth that is responsible for foul breath in the breath. Due to this nature of nutmeg, it is used as an important ingredient for the preparation of Ayurvedic gum pastes and toothpaste. Regular application of nutmeg enriched toothpaste on the teeth will help in the best relief from tooth pain.

6. Regulates Blood Pressure

Nutmeg is also beneficial to normalize blood pressure and circulation in the body. The high mineral content in the ingredient makes it beneficial to regulate blood pressure and circulation in the body. Nutmeg contains iron, manganese potassium, calcium, etc., that relaxes the blood capillaries and vessels in the body. Its stress lowering attributes keeps the heart working in the best functional state.

What Are The Side Effects Of Nutmeg?

Nutmeg is the commonly used spices that promote good health in a person. Besides a cooking agent, this spice exhibits specific medicinal properties that offer immense value. When consumed in permissible amounts, it offers the best relief from pain and digestive troubles. Sustained use reduces anxiety, normalizes blood pressure and promotes sound sleep in a person.

The overuse of any ingredient/food is not conducive to health. The same goes for nutmeg. It should only be eaten in small amounts. All you need is to add a pinch of nutmeg to add flavor to your food and reap its wide range of benefits.

It is unsafe to use nutmeg in a larger dosage and for extended periods of time. Prolonged use of nutmeg in more than permissible dosage more than 110 mg daily is linked to hallucinations as well as other mental issues in the body. It can cause severe gastrointestinal reactions in the body that includes nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. In severe cases, it can also lead to nerve and heart issues.

Frequently Asked Questions about Nutmeg

Here are some of the commonly asked questions related to Nutmeg health benefits and its intake.

1. How Nutmeg benefits your health?

More than a flavoring agent, Nutmeg is a remarkable medicinal agent. When taken in admissible dosage, it can help provide a wide range of health benefits to a person. This includes an ability to release pain, pacify indigestion, strengthen cognitive function, boost skin health, cleanse the body, lessen oral conditions, decrease insomnia, boost immune system function, enhance blood circulation and prevent leukemia in the body.

2. How Much Nutmeg Should You Consume In A Day?

It is important to note that you only need a minuscule amount of the spice to assist you in the treatment of sleep issues. A pinch of nutmeg is effective in calming your nerves. If you consume it in high amounts then you may experience its adverse effects. Some of them being severe acidity, anxiety, nausea, excessive thirst, and dry mouth.

3. In What Ways Can You Consume It In Dishes?

Nutmeg has a sweet and nutty flavor. It goes best with stewed or baked fruit, egg curry, custards, sauces (made with milk and onion-based sauces), vegetable curries, pasta etc.

Conclusion

Nutmeg is a popular spice that is popularly used to prepare several types of dishes.  When used sparingly, this ingredient can give you incredible health benefits. This is a safe way to relax the body and give it a peaceful sleep. This simple ingredient can be consumed in various ways to obtain its benefits. Whichever way you choose, you are sure to benefit from the incredible benefits of nutmeg in your daily life.

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