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Herbs & Spices · Spices

Nutmeg: Benefits, Uses, Recipes & Nutmeg vs. Mace

What nutmeg is, how Chinese medicine and Ayurveda have used it for digestion and a calm evening, what the research shows, including a nutmeg-oil rinse that matched the dental standard, holiday recipes, nutmeg vs. mace and how much to use.

By Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS·Medically reviewed by the DrAxe.com Medical Advisory Board·18-min read
Meet the Medical Advisory Board
Evidence-based36 sources citedUpdated October 30, 2026
Published Oct 26, 2026Last updated Oct 30, 2026Editorial policyMedical review policyFact-checking policy
Nutmeg, the dried seed of the nutmeg tree
Nutmeg is the dried seed of an evergreen tree from Indonesia's Spice Islands, and mace is the lacy coat that grows around it.
The Dr. Axe Score™
5.7/10
Overall Dr. Axe Score · Nutmeg

Nutmeg scores 5.7 for more than 1,600 years of use as a warming digestive spice in Chinese medicine, Ayurveda and the Spice Islands, and for a mouthwash made with its oil that matched the dental standard in a randomized trial.

Scientific Evidence
3.4/10
A randomized trial of a nutmeg-oil mouthwash that matched chlorhexidine; a randomized trial of a skin cream with nutmeg and mace oils; a case report on diarrhea; a large body of animal and lab work on digestion, sleep, blood sugar and pain.
Traditional Medicine
8.4/10
Recorded in classical Chinese texts since it reached China in the 3rd or 4th century, used in Ayurveda, Unani, Tibetan and Mongolian medicine, and still used in the Spice Islands for diarrhea, mouth sores and insomnia.
Clinical Effectiveness
5.0/10
Our judgment: an easy, everyday warming spice for digestion and the evening, part of the pumpkin pie spice blend Dr. Axe has had patients take for years, with a mouthwash trial that matched a drug.
Safety
6.8/10
No harm reported at kitchen amounts; deductions for a narrow margin, with intoxications reported from about 5 grams, and for young children who get into the spice jar.
Why this score?
Why Nutmeg scores 5.7 / 10

    Weighting: Evidence 30% · Traditional Medicine 25% · Clinical Effectiveness 25% · Safety 20% (3.4×0.30 + 8.4×0.25 + 5.0×0.25 + 6.8×0.20 = 1.02 + 2.10 + 1.25 + 1.36 = 5.73, shown as 5.7). How we score

    A transparent, weighted index built for foods. See how it’s calculated →
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    Nutmeg at a glance

    Nutmeg is a warming spice ground from the seed of the nutmeg tree, and for centuries Chinese medicine, Ayurveda and the healers of its native islands have used it to settle digestion, firm up loose stools and calm the evening.123 A teaspoon has 11.6 calories, and its value to your body is its aromatic oil.45

    • What it does: warms and settles digestion in traditional medicine, and in a randomized trial a rinse made with its oil cut plaque and bad breath as much as chlorhexidine, the dental standard6
    • How much: a pinch to 1/4 teaspoon per dish; my pumpkin pie uses 1/2 teaspoon for the whole pie7
    • How to use it: grate it fresh into a warm evening cup of coconut milk with cinnamon and a little raw honey, or into pies, squash soup, chai and mulled cider
    • Keep it to kitchen amounts: people have gotten sick after swallowing about 5 grams, a little over 2 teaspoons, at once, and the jar belongs out of children's reach8

    Nutmeg is the dried seed of an evergreen tree native to Indonesia's Spice Islands, grated or ground into the warm, sweet spice of the holiday kitchen.93 In the amounts you cook with, it's good for you. Chinese medicine has relied on nutmeg for more than 1,600 years to warm digestion and stop diarrhea, and on its home islands people still use it for diarrhea, mouth sores and sleepless nights.13

    If you deal with gas, cramping or loose stools, Chinese medicine points to one possible cause, a digestion that has lost its warmth. As I've explained, it sees your digestive system working like a fire that needs to generate heat and have energy to break down food,10 and nutmeg is one of the classic warming spices for keeping that fire going.1 I've summed up what it does this way:

    Nutmeg is very good for your digestive tract and also very good for your blood sugar levels.Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNSFrom How to Fight Depression: 7 Secrets to Stop Depression, Dr. Josh Axe on YouTube (2017), at 24:30

    This is nutmeg's season, the months of pumpkin pie, eggnog and mulled cider, and of colds and long evenings. If you use it the way traditional cooks always have, a little at a time in warm food, it does its steady work on your digestion and your nights.

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    Did you know?

    • Most of the fat in nutmeg is myristic acid, a fatty acid that shares its name with the nutmeg tree's genus, Myristica: 22.8 of the 36.3 grams of fat in every 100 grams of ground nutmeg.4

    • Nutmeg is native to Indonesia's Maluku and Banda Islands, and this one spice once gave those small islands geopolitical importance.93

    • Nutmeg trees were carried to the Caribbean island of Grenada in the 19th century, and the island still grows the spice today.5

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    What is nutmeg, and where does it come from?

    Quick answer

    Nutmeg is the dried seed of Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree native to the Maluku and Banda Islands of Indonesia, the original Spice Islands.93 The tree's fruit gives you two spices: the seed is nutmeg, and the lacy red coat wrapped around it is mace.5

    The fruit itself is yellowish and shaped something like a lemon, and inside is a brown seed wrapped in a red, net-like layer called the aril. Once they're dried and separated, the seed becomes nutmeg and the aril becomes mace.5 Nutmeg reached China in the 3rd or 4th century, and Chinese, Ayurvedic, Tibetan and Mongolian medicine all came to use it.19

    Despite its name, nutmeg is a seed, and it isn't on the FDA's list of tree nuts.11 Like ginger and cloves, it's one of the healing herbs and spices that traditional kitchens have always kept close at hand.

    Is nutmeg good for you?

    Quick answer

    Yes. In the amounts you cook with, a pinch to 1/4 teaspoon in a dish, nutmeg is a warming spice that supports your digestion, a calmer evening and a cleaner mouth.136

    Digestion and a calm evening are nutmeg's traditional jobs, and people have relied on it for both for centuries, with animal and lab studies now lining up with that use. The cleaner mouth comes from a randomized trial in people, in which a nutmeg-oil rinse did as well as the dental standard.6

    Nutmeg does its work in small amounts, and in most kitchens it shares the spice rack with other warming spices, allspice and cardamom among them. Our guide to pumpkin spice benefits covers the blend most people already keep in the cupboard, and a pinch here and there, day after day, is how food as medicine is meant to work.

    How does nutmeg work in your body?

    Nutmeg's warm flavor and its effects come from compounds in the seed. Up to 16% of the seed by weight is aromatic oil, about 90% of it monoterpenes such as sabinene and pinene, with phenylpropanoids such as eugenol and myristicin, a compound also found in parsley and dill.5212 The seed also carries lignans such as macelignan, and in lab tests nutmeg's extracts work as antioxidants.51 That oil is what you smell the moment you grate a whole nutmeg, and it's what traditional healers were working with.

    1Grating releases the oil

    Grating a nutmeg opens up its aromatic oil and lignans, the compounds behind its warm flavor and its effects.5

    2It reaches you with a meal

    In a randomized trial, 24 overweight adults each ate the same meal on four separate days, plain or with 6 grams of Italian herbs, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice). Compounds from the spices showed up in their blood as early as half an hour after the meal, and some lasted up to 24 hours.13

    3A cramping gut relaxes

    In lab tests on gut tissue, a nutmeg extract blocked the contractions set off by acetylcholine, histamine and prostaglandin, three messengers that make gut muscle tighten like a fist.14

    4Stools firm up

    Nutmeg cut the number of loose stools in animal tests, and in one documented human case, diarrhea responded to it.1415

    5The evening settles

    The same extract lengthened sedative-induced sleep in animals,14 which fits the mild sedative action researchers recorded when they studied nutmeg's use in the Spice Islands.3

    Put the steps together and you get a warm spice, a gut that relaxes, firmer stools and a body that settles at night. That's the whole logic of using nutmeg as food, because when you support a digestion that's struggling, the gas, cramping and loose stools have less reason to show up.

    Nutmeg benefits, ranked by evidence

    Nutmeg's two oldest jobs are your digestion and your evening, but its strongest modern evidence is in your mouth. That's why a mouthwash leads the list below, which runs from the most human research to the least.

    1

    Fresher breath and less plaque

    Emerging evidence (randomized trial)Human studyRandomized trial · 60 adults with plaque and bad breath · 21 days (nutmeg-oil mouthwash vs. 0.2% chlorhexidine); lab study of mouth bacteria

    A rinse made with nutmeg oil kept plaque and bad breath down as well as chlorhexidine, the dental standard. In a randomized trial of 60 adults with plaque and plaque-driven bad breath, in which neither the people nor the researchers knew who got what, everyone had a professional cleaning at the start. Then half rinsed with 10 mL of a mouthwash containing 2% nutmeg oil, along with olive oil, menthol and orange oil, twice a day for 21 days, and half used 0.2% chlorhexidine. Plaque fell 39.2% with nutmeg and 39.4% with chlorhexidine, from a plaque index of 1.30 to 0.79 and from 1.27 to 0.77. Bad-breath scores fell by more than half in both groups. On the examiner's smell test, the standard way to score bad breath, the nutmeg group went from 3.53 to 2.67 at day 14 and 1.43 at day 21, and the chlorhexidine group from 3.50 to 2.93 and 1.53. The two rinses never differed at any check, and none of the people using the nutmeg rinse had a side effect.6 For a rinse built on a kitchen spice, keeping pace with the dental standard at every check is a strong showing.

    In lab dishes, extracts of nutmeg seed and mace also stopped the growth of bacteria behind cavities and gum disease.16 For a daily routine built around fresher breath, see our guide on how to get rid of bad breath, add oil pulling with coconut oil and try a homemade mouthwash with essential oils.

    Study takeaway: a nutmeg-oil rinse matched chlorhexidine for plaque and bad breath over 21 days.

    A nutmeg-oil mouthwash cut bad breath as much as the dental standard

    A nutmeg-oil mouthwash cut bad breath as much as the dental standard60 adults with plaque and bad breath, 21 days, 10 mL twice daily; randomized, and neither the people nor the researchers knew who got what; the nutmeg rinse was 2% nutmeg oil with olive oil, menthol and orange oil. Start: Nutmeg-oil mouthwash 3.53 bad-breath score, lower is fresher, Chlorhexidine 0.2% mouthwash 3.5 bad-breath score, lower is fresher; Day 14: Nutmeg-oil mouthwash 2.67 bad-breath score, lower is fresher, Chlorhexidine 0.2% mouthwash 2.93 bad-breath score, lower is fresher; Day 21: Nutmeg-oil mouthwash 1.43 bad-breath score, lower is fresher, Chlorhexidine 0.2% mouthwash 1.53 bad-breath score, lower is fresher60 adults with plaque and bad breath, 21 days, 10 mL twicedaily; randomized, and neither the people nor theresearchers knew who got what; the nutmeg rinse was 2%nutmeg oil with olive oil, menthol and orange oil3.532.671.43Nutmeg-oil mouthwash (bad-breath score, lower isfresher)3.52.931.53Chlorhexidine 0.2% mouthwash (bad-breath score,lower is fresher)StartDay 14Day 21
    Source: Padol et al. · Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology, 2022 [6]Bad-breath scores fell by more than half with both rinses, and the groups never differed.

    Plaque dropped as much with nutmeg oil as with chlorhexidine

    Plaque dropped as much with nutmeg oil as with chlorhexidinePlaque index, start to day 21, 60 adults; randomized, and neither the people nor the researchers knew who got what. Nutmeg-oil mouthwash: 39.2 % drop in plaque index; Chlorhexidine 0.2% mouthwash: 39.4 % drop in plaque indexPlaque index, start to day 21, 60 adults; randomized, andneither the people nor the researchers knew who got what
    39.2 % drop in plaque index
    NUTMEG-OIL MOUTHWASH
    39.4 % drop in plaque index
    CHLORHEXIDINE 0.2% MOUTHWASH
    Source: Padol et al. · Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology, 2022 [6]The plaque index went from 1.30 to 0.79 with nutmeg and from 1.27 to 0.77 with chlorhexidine.
    2

    Settles digestion and firms loose stools

    Traditional use (with animal tests and a case report)Traditional useClassical Chinese texts; Ayurveda; Spice Islands ethnobotany; animal and gut-tissue tests; one case report

    Digestion is nutmeg's oldest medical job. Traditional healers have used it for gas, colic, indigestion and diarrhea,5 and Ayurveda for nausea and stomach cramps as well.2 Researchers in New Delhi set out to test Ayurveda's use of nutmeg for diarrhea, and in their animal and gut-tissue tests a nutmeg extract calmed gut-muscle contractions, and nutmeg cut the number of loose stools.14 So far, the only evidence in people is a case report from 1975, about a patient whose thyroid tumor put large amounts of prostaglandin-like compounds into the blood and whose diarrhea, which continued after surgery, responded to nutmeg.15

    When patients with leaky gut want a smoothie, I have them trade the frozen fruit smoothie in the morning for a warming one: sweet potato or pumpkin with a little coconut milk and a little pumpkin pie spice.10 For gas and fullness, see how to get rid of bloating, and for loose stools that won't settle, our guide on how to stop diarrhea covers the next steps. After a big holiday meal, though, the traditional move is simple: grate a pinch into a warm cup of tea or coconut milk.

    Study takeaway: nutmeg's oldest medical use is warming digestion and firming loose stools.

    3

    Calmer evenings and sleep support

    Traditional use (with animal studies)Traditional useSpice Islands ethnobotany; traditional use as a calming agent; animal studies

    On its home islands, nutmeg is a remedy for sleepless nights. In Maluku, healers, herbal vendors and midwives use it for insomnia, and the researchers who studied that use described its effect as a mild sedative action.3 Beyond the islands, traditional medicine used nutmeg as a calming agent, and Ayurveda used it for anxiety.52 In animals, a nutmeg extract lengthened sleep brought on by a sedative,14 though no human sleep trial has tested nutmeg alone yet. I've said nutmeg has a lot of benefits in supporting the brain,17 and in rats, nutmeg's volatile oil raised serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine in the hippocampus, the brain's memory center.18

    If your evenings run restless, use it the traditional way, as part of an evening routine: a pinch in a warm cup at the start of your wind-down. In my Deep Sleep Protocol, the order I use with patients is to anchor the clock, build the wind-down, deepen, then protect it,19 and our guides to natural sleep aids and magnesium for sleep fill in the rest.

    Study takeaway: a traditional evening spice with a mild calming effect, used for sleepless nights on its home islands.

    4

    Blood sugar support

    Preclinical (animal studies)Animal study48 rats, diabetic and healthy · 28 days; 12 rabbits on a cholesterol-raising diet · 60 days

    Blood sugar is the other job I've named for nutmeg, alongside digestion.17 In a study of 48 rats, diabetic rats given nutmeg extract at 100 and 200 mg per kilogram of body weight for 28 days had lower blood sugar and higher insulin than untreated diabetic rats, with more islets in the pancreas and a higher share of insulin-making beta cells.20 In 12 rabbits fed a cholesterol-raising diet, the 6 given nutmeg fruit extract for 60 days had lower total and LDL cholesterol than the untreated rabbits, and their platelets were less likely to clump,21 but no human trial has tested nutmeg for blood sugar yet.

    In the kitchen, nutmeg usually travels with cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice is something I've had my patients take for years: a blend of cinnamon, clove and ginger, and sometimes nutmeg or allspice.22 Use it to flavor oatmeal, a smoothie or roasted squash in place of sugary toppings (our guide to normal blood sugar levels has the bigger picture).

    Study takeaway: in diabetic rats, nutmeg extract lowered blood sugar and raised insulin over 28 days.

    5

    Joint comfort and pain support

    Mixed evidence (animal study; human skin-cream trial)Animal studyRats with inflamed joints; randomized trial · 74 adults with painful diabetic nerve damage · 4 weeks (skin cream)

    Traditional medicine has long rubbed nutmeg on aching joints. It was used externally for rheumatism, and Ayurveda used it for rheumatism too.52 In rats with inflamed joints, nutmeg oil eased swelling and pain sensitivity by lowering COX-2, the enzyme behind much inflammatory pain, and substance P, a pain messenger; some of the researchers worked at a lab tied to a nutrition company.23 The one human trial tested a skin cream in 74 adults with painful diabetic nerve damage, with the patients and the researchers both unaware of which cream each person used. Pain fell in both groups over 4 weeks, and the cream with nutmeg and mace oils did no better than the same cream of menthol and methyl salicylate (the compound in wintergreen oil) without them.24

    If your joints ache, use nutmeg in warm food, next to turmeric tea and fresh ginger.

    Study takeaway: in rats with inflamed joints, nutmeg oil eased swelling and pain by lowering COX-2.

    How is nutmeg used in Chinese medicine and Ayurveda?

    Quick answer

    In Chinese medicine, nutmeg is a warming herb that strengthens digestion and stops diarrhea; Ayurveda has used it for digestion, anxiety and rheumatism.12

    Classical Chinese texts give nutmeg two core functions: "warming the middle jiao to promote qi flow, and astringing the intestines to relieve diarrhea."1 The middle jiao is Chinese medicine's name for the digestive center, the stomach and spleen, which in plain English means your digestion, pancreas included, and qi is something like the energy your cells run on. So in everyday terms, nutmeg warms and strengthens digestion and helps hold loose stools together. In Chinese medicine today, it goes mostly into formulas with other herbs, much like the blend in a jar of pumpkin pie spice.1

    The same tradition explains why a warming spice feels right when the weather turns. On my show, I've talked about what Chinese medicine did when cold entered the body:25

    In Chinese medicine, they would say that coldness entered your body. ... They would recommend warming herbs and spices to help fight that type of cold.Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNSFrom How to Prevent & Heal Cold & Flu Naturally (Foods, Supplements, & Herbs for Rapid Recovery), The Dr. Josh Axe Show (2024), at 16:34

    Our guide to natural cold remedies covers the rest of a cold-and-flu-season plan, but nutmeg's own place in that tradition is warming the middle, and in the cold months it fits naturally into the hot drinks, soups and baking you're already making.

    Ayurveda's list for nutmeg is long, from anxiety and nausea to diarrhea, stomach cramps and rheumatism, and it has been used as an aphrodisiac too.2 Tibetan and Mongolian medicine use it as well.9 When that many traditions, over that many centuries, reach for the same spice for the same jobs, it's worth asking what they noticed, and the animal and lab studies above have started to answer.

    Nutmeg nutrition (per teaspoon)

    Quick answer

    A teaspoon of ground nutmeg (2.2 grams) has 11.6 calories, 0.80 grams of fat, 1.08 grams of carbohydrate and 0.46 grams of fiber, and no vitamin or mineral comes in above 3% of the daily value.426

    Ground nutmeg per 1 teaspoon (2.2 g) and per 100 g. Source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy FDC ID 171326; % Daily Value is figured from FDA's reference amounts.426

    Nutrient1 teaspoon (2.2 g)% Daily ValuePer 100 g
    Calories11.6n/a525
    Fat0.80 g1%36.3 g
    Saturated fat0.57 g3%25.9 g
    Carbohydrate1.08 g<1%49.3 g
    Fiber0.46 g2%20.8 g
    Protein0.13 g<1%5.84 g
    Manganese0.064 mg3%2.9 mg
    Copper0.023 mg3%1.03 mg
    Magnesium4.0 mg1%183 mg
    Calcium4.0 mg<1%184 mg
    Iron0.067 mg<1%3.04 mg
    Potassium7.7 mg<1%350 mg
    Sodium0.35 mg<1%16 mg

    You use nutmeg by the pinch, and a quarter teaspoon gives you about 3 calories,4 so its value lies in the aromatic oil and lignans you read about in how nutmeg works in your body.

    Nutmeg vs. mace: what's the difference?

    Quick answer

    Nutmeg and mace come from the same fruit: nutmeg is the seed, and mace is the lacy coat wrapped around it.5 Mace tastes a little milder and more delicate, and in most recipes you can swap one for the other, measure for measure.

    Per 1 teaspoon, from USDA FoodData Central: ground nutmeg (FDC ID 171326) and ground mace (FDC ID 170927).427

    Per 1 teaspoonNutmeg, ground (2.2 g)Mace, ground (1.7 g)
    Calories11.68.1
    Fat0.80 g0.55 g
    Saturated fat0.57 g0.16 g
    Fiber0.46 g0.34 g
    Iron0.067 mg0.24 mg
    Copper0.023 mg0.042 mg
    Calcium4.0 mg4.3 mg
    Vitamin C0.07 mg0.36 mg

    Gram for gram, mace carries about four and a half times the iron of nutmeg and far less saturated fat, with more copper, calcium and vitamin C.427

    Mace has a human trial of its own, a randomized trial of 60 women with mixed urinary incontinence, in which the women didn't know which capsule they got. Half took 1.5 grams of mace powder twice a day and half took look-alike capsules, both alongside pelvic-floor exercises, for 12 weeks. By the end, 46.7% of the women on mace said their bladder symptoms had cleared, against none of the women on the look-alike capsules, and no side effects were reported with mace.28

    At a pinch per dish, choose by flavor: nutmeg for pies, eggnog and squash, and mace for lighter sauces, soups and baked goods where you want warmth with a softer edge.

    Whole vs. ground nutmeg: which should you buy?

    Quick answer

    Buy whole nutmeg when you can and grate it fresh; ground nutmeg is convenient and works well in baking. Fresh-grated nutmeg gives you the most aroma, because grating releases the seed's aromatic oil right as you use it.5

    A microplane or a small nutmeg grater does the job. Grate straight over the pot or the cup, and stop when you've used what the recipe calls for. Store whole nutmegs and ground nutmeg in tightly closed jars in a cool, dark cupboard, away from the heat of the stove.

    How to use nutmeg

    I've said that Ayurveda really believed meals are medicine,29 and nutmeg shows why: the spice you cook with and the remedy are the same thing. Around the holidays, pumpkin pie spice is one of the ways I get cinnamon, and it's really great to add to your smoothies in the morning.30 Here are the easiest ways to put nutmeg to work:

    A warm evening cup. Heat a mug of coconut milk or goat milk with a pinch of nutmeg and a little cinnamon, take it off the heat and stir in a teaspoon of raw honey. It's a simple way to start your wind-down.
    Chai. Nutmeg belongs with the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger in chai tea; finish a cup with a grating on top.
    Mulled cider. Simmer apple cider with cinnamon sticks, a few whole cloves, slices of fresh ginger and a whole nutmeg cracked in half, then strain.
    Squash, soups and greens. A grating of nutmeg brings out the sweetness of butternut squash, pumpkin and sweet potato, and it's a classic finish for sautéed spinach or a cream sauce made with coconut milk.
    Breakfast. Stir a pinch of nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice into oatmeal, a smoothie or a few spoonfuls of canned pumpkin.
    Baking. Pies, muffins, quick breads and oatmeal cookies all take nutmeg, usually in small amounts beside cinnamon and ginger.

    Nutmeg tea

    Steep a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg with a cinnamon stick and a few slices of fresh ginger in a cup of just-boiled water for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain it, let it cool until it's comfortable to sip, and sweeten it with a little raw honey. It's a warm, gentle after-dinner cup in the cold months.

    What to use instead of nutmeg

    Mace is the closest match, measure for measure. After that, reach for allspice, homemade pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon with a small pinch of ground cloves; each brings the same warm, sweet note to baking and hot drinks.

    Holiday nutmeg recipes

    These recipes put nutmeg to work all season. Where a recipe doesn't call for nutmeg, the note tells you how to add it.

    Pumpkin pie. My pumpkin pie uses a 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree, eggs, maple syrup and canned coconut milk, with 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon each of nutmeg, ginger and allspice.7
    Sweet potato pie. The other holiday pie, spiced with nutmeg.
    Pumpkin pie oatmeal. Pie flavors in a warm breakfast bowl.
    Homemade pumpkin pie spice. Mix your own blend with nutmeg and keep a jar ready for the season.
    Pumpkin spice latte. A homemade version spiced with nutmeg.
    Apple cinnamon baked oatmeal. A baked breakfast with nutmeg in the spice mix.
    Baked spiced apple rings. Apple slices baked with warming spices, nutmeg included.
    Butternut squash soup. A pot of soup with nutmeg in the seasoning.
    Chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. Cookies with a little nutmeg in the dough.
    Cranberry apple cider. Simmer a whole nutmeg, cracked in half, in the pot.
    Homemade chai tea. Finish each cup with a grating of fresh nutmeg.
    Gluten-free pumpkin bread. Add 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg to the batter with the other spices.
    Dairy-free eggnog. Warm coconut milk with pastured egg yolks and vanilla, stirring until it thickens and reaches 160°F, then chill it, stir in a little raw honey and grate nutmeg over each glass.
    Roasted squash or sweet potato. Toss cubes with olive oil, a pinch of salt, cinnamon and a grating of nutmeg before roasting.
    Questions about nutmeg?

    Ask Dr. Axe AI. Answers are grounded in this library, with sources shown.

    Who should be careful with nutmeg?

    Quick answer

    Nutmeg is safe in the amounts you cook with: a Swedish food-safety review judged the amount people get from spices in food unlikely to cause harm.8 Trouble comes from large amounts swallowed at once, and the steps below show you how to avoid it.

    How to enjoy nutmeg well:

    • Large amounts: Nutmeg's aromatic compounds, chiefly myristicin, act on the nervous system in large doses. Intoxications have been reported after about 5 grams, a little over 2 teaspoons, and symptoms are expected from 10 to 15 grams.831 They begin within 1 to 6 hours, with a racing heart, nausea, agitation, dizziness, a dry mouth and sometimes hallucinations, and usually pass within a day.3132 In 10 years of Swiss poison-center records covering 236 people, none of the 33 cases with medical follow-up was severe or fatal.31 Keep to kitchen amounts, never take nutmeg by the spoonful as a sleep remedy or a dare, and if someone has swallowed a large amount, call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222 in the U.S.).

    • Young children: Most Swiss poison-center calls about children involved ages 0 to 3,31 and a 6-year-old who swallowed six pieces of mace needed hospital care before recovering.33 Store whole nutmeg and mace out of reach, like medicine.

    • Pregnancy and nursing: Keep nutmeg to the amounts in recipes. One case of nutmeg intoxication in pregnancy followed a large amount,34 so skip large amounts, nutmeg remedies and nutmeg essential oil by mouth.

    • Mood medications (interaction check: Low): In large amounts, nutmeg may add to the effects of antidepressants such as fluoxetine and other mood-altering drugs.31 If you take one, keep nutmeg to kitchen amounts.

    • Essential oil: Nutmeg oil concentrates the seed's aromatic compounds.5 Use it diluted on the skin, in a diffuser or in a rinse you spit out. By mouth, I've written that oils from commonly eaten herbs and spices are safe at 1 or 2 drops, about 60 milligrams,7 so with nutmeg oil, keep to a drop or two in food or a warm drink.

    • Allergy: Nutmeg is a seed, not a tree nut.11 If your mouth itches or you break out after eating it, stop and treat it as a spice allergy; see food allergy symptoms.

    The bottom line

    Should you use nutmeg?

    Yes. Nutmeg is one of the warming spices traditional medicine has trusted for centuries to settle digestion and calm the evening, and modern research points the same way, from studies of how it calms a cramping gut to a nutmeg-oil rinse that matched the dental standard for fresher breath.

    Grate it fresh and use a pinch to 1/4 teaspoon in a dish, in warm food: a bedtime cup of coconut milk, a bowl of squash soup, a mug of chai or mulled cider and, of course, pumpkin pie.

    Food comes first, and a spice that warms your digestion and settles your evening is one of the simplest places to start. Small, warm habits like this one give your body room to do the healing it was made for.

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    The four phases (Anchor, Wind-Down, Deepen and Protect), the evening wind-down, the top 10 sleep foods and a 7-day meal plan, in one free 31-page protocol.

    Free with your Dr. Axe account (email or Google). You'll also get the protocol's short email series and the Dr. Axe newsletter; unsubscribe anytime.

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    Nutmeg: frequently asked questions

    Is nutmeg a nut?

    No. Nutmeg is the seed of the nutmeg tree, and it isn't on the FDA's list of tree nuts.11 A tree-nut allergy on its own doesn't rule nutmeg out, and the safety section covers what to do if nutmeg itself ever gives you symptoms.

    What does nutmeg taste like?

    Warm, sweet and slightly woody, with a gentle peppery edge. Mace, the lacy coat around the seed, tastes milder and more delicate.

    Does nutmeg help you sleep?

    It's a traditional evening spice with a mild calming effect. Healers in nutmeg's native islands use it for insomnia,3 and a nutmeg extract lengthened sedative-induced sleep in animals.14 Use a pinch in a warm cup as part of a full wind-down routine.

    How much nutmeg is safe?

    A pinch to 1/4 teaspoon per dish is a kitchen amount, and Dr. Axe's pumpkin pie uses 1/2 teaspoon for the whole pie.7 Intoxications have been reported after about 5 grams, a little over 2 teaspoons, swallowed at once, and the safety section has the details.8

    Can nutmeg make you high?

    Only in amounts far beyond cooking, and what follows is nutmeg poisoning, with a racing heart, nausea and agitation.31 Kitchen amounts don't cause it.

    Is nutmeg safe during pregnancy?

    Yes, in the amounts used in cooking. A Swedish food-safety review judged the myristicin people get from spices in food unlikely to cause harm.8 While pregnant or nursing, skip large amounts, nutmeg remedies and nutmeg essential oil by mouth, since one case of nutmeg intoxication in pregnancy followed a large amount.34

    What can I use instead of nutmeg?

    Mace is the closest match, measure for measure. Allspice, pumpkin pie spice, or cinnamon with a small pinch of cloves also work in baking and warm drinks.

    Is nutmeg good for men?

    It has a long reputation for men's vitality. Unani medicine has used it for male sexual health and Ayurveda as an aphrodisiac,352 and in male rats a nutmeg extract increased mating behavior over 7 days.35 It hasn't been tested in men, and our guide to aphrodisiac foods covers more options.

    Is nutmeg good for your skin?

    It shows promise for sun-exposed skin, so far only in lab tests. Macelignan, a compound from nutmeg, protected human skin cells exposed to UVB light by lowering a collagen-breaking enzyme and raising new collagen production.36

    How should you store nutmeg?

    Whole, in a tightly closed jar in a cool, dark cupboard, grated as you need it. Keep ground nutmeg in a closed jar too, away from the heat of the stove.

    Freshness & update log

    October 30, 2026 — Edited for readability.

    October 26, 2026 — Rebuilt the page under Dr. Axe's byline around what nutmeg does in your body: warming digestion, a calmer evening and a cleaner mouth. Added the Dr. Axe Score with its math; Dr. Axe's own words on nutmeg and on the pumpkin pie spice he has had patients take for years; how nutmeg works, with a step diagram; nutmeg in Chinese medicine and Ayurveda; the randomized trial of a nutmeg-oil mouthwash against chlorhexidine, with two charts; nutmeg vs. mace with USDA numbers and a randomized trial of mace; whole vs. ground nutmeg, nutmeg tea and substitutes; 14 holiday recipes and recipe ideas; and one safety section built on food-safety and poison-center data. Kept from the earlier page, each now sourced: what nutmeg is and where it comes from; nutrition facts; pain and inflammation, now with the rat study and the human skin-cream trial side by side; brain support in rats; sleep, now at its traditional rung; digestion, now the page's lead theme; antioxidant activity; heart support, now the rabbit study inside the blood sugar benefit; libido, oral health, blood sugar and skin; myristicin in parsley and dill; overdose symptoms; nutmeg as a seed rather than a tree nut; the comparison with mace and other warming spices; whole vs. ground; how to use it; and nutmeg in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. Corrected: a teaspoon of ground nutmeg, not a tablespoon, weighs 2.2 grams; manganese per teaspoon is 0.064 mg, not 0.64 mg; the earlier "less than 10 grams per sitting" limit is replaced, since 10 to 15 grams is where symptoms are expected; and the earlier heart claim's link pointed to a pain study. Removed after a search found no support: protection against leaky gut, stomach ulcer healing, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's claims, hair and scalp claims, the four-week capsule sleep claim (a multi-herb product with no comparison group), the 2016 rat cholesterol claim, the history dates and population figures, the six-month shelf life for ground nutmeg, and "pain" as an overdose symptom. Replaced five recipe links that are no longer on the site (pumpkin bars, grilled lamb chops, goulash, apple fritters and pumpkin butter) with live recipes.

    References

    1. Luo J, Yang X, Bai M, Xie J, He Y, Gan Z, et al. Myristica fragrans: A comprehensive review of its botanical characterization, traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties. J Ethnopharmacol. 2026;358:120916. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2025.120916. PMID:41275940
    2. Ashokkumar K, Simal-Gandara J, Murugan M, Dhanya MK, Pandian A. Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.) essential oil: A review on its composition, biological, and pharmacological activities. Phytother Res. 2022;36(7):2839-2851. doi:10.1002/ptr.7491. PMID:35567294
    3. Van Gils C, Cox PA. Ethnobotany of nutmeg in the Spice Islands. J Ethnopharmacol. 1994;42(2):117-24. doi:10.1016/0378-8741(94)90105-8. PMID:8072304
    4. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Spices, nutmeg, ground. FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC ID 171326 (Myristica fragrans; per 100 g: 525 kcal, 5.84 g protein, 36.3 g fat of which 25.9 g saturated and 22.8 g myristic acid (14:0), 49.3 g carbohydrate, 20.8 g fiber, 184 mg calcium, 3.04 mg iron, 183 mg magnesium, 350 mg potassium, 16 mg sodium, 1.03 mg copper, 2.9 mg manganese, 3.0 mg vitamin C; 1 tsp = 2.2 g, 1 tbsp = 7.0 g). Values read from the FDC portal data, October 26, 2026.
    5. Abourashed EA, El-Alfy AT. Chemical diversity and pharmacological significance of the secondary metabolites of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.). Phytochem Rev. 2016;15(6):1035-1056. doi:10.1007/s11101-016-9469-x. PMID:28082856
    6. Padol MV, Vishwakarma P, Dodamani AS, Gore AW, Chachlani KS, Kharkar SP. Comparative evaluation of nutmeg mouthwash and 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate mouthwash on halitosis and plaque control: A randomized clinical trial. J Indian Soc Periodontol. 2022;26(4):384-389. doi:10.4103/jisp.jisp_868_20. PMID:35959299
    7. Axe J. Ancient Remedies: Secrets to Healing with Herbs, Essential Oils, CBD, and the Most Powerful Natural Medicine in History. New York: Little, Brown Spark; 2021. Pumpkin Pie, p. 359 (filling: one 15-ounce can pumpkin puree, 3 large eggs, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk or canned coconut milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon each ground nutmeg, ginger and allspice); taking essential oils by mouth, pp. 146-147 (oils from commonly consumed herbs, spices, roots and berries are safe to take orally; the common therapeutic dosage is 1 or 2 drops, or approximately 60 milligrams).
    8. Hallström H, Thuvander A. Toxicological evaluation of myristicin. Nat Toxins. 1997;5(5):186-92. PMID:9496377
    9. Qi J, Bai Y, Mu Q, Wu J, Sa C. Nutmeg: A Review on Basic Source, Traditional Use, Chemical Components, Pharmacological Activities, Mechanism, and Quality Control. Planta Med. 2026;92(5):539-566. doi:10.1055/a-2623-1165. PMID:41082903
    10. Axe J. How to Heal Your Gut in 30 Days. The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2025 (Dr. Axe at 58:09, the Chinese medicine view that the digestive system works like a fire that needs heat and energy to break down food; YouTube ehASjzDVW5Y).
    11. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Guidance for Industry: Questions and Answers Regarding Food Allergen Labeling (Edition 5). January 2025 (the tree nuts FDA considers major food allergens; nutmeg is not among them).
    12. Götz ME, Sachse B, Schäfer B, Eisenreich A. Myristicin and Elemicin: Potentially Toxic Alkenylbenzenes in Food. Foods. 2022;11(13):1988. doi:10.3390/foods11131988. PMID:35804802
    13. Huang Y, Edirisinghe I, Burton-Freeman BM, Sandhu AK. Characterization and Pharmacokinetic Profile of Herbs and Spices' Phytochemicals over 24 h after Consumption in Overweight/Obese Adults. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2023;67(14):e2200785. doi:10.1002/mnfr.202200785. PMID:37310415
    14. Grover JK, Khandkar S, Vats V, Dhunnoo Y, Das D. Pharmacological studies on Myristica fragrans--antidiarrheal, hypnotic, analgesic and hemodynamic (blood pressure) parameters. Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol. 2002;24(10):675-80. doi:10.1358/mf.2002.24.10.802317. PMID:12616960
    15. Barrowman JA, Bennett A, Hillenbrand P, Rolles K, Pollock DJ, Wright JT. Diarrhoea in thyroid medullary carcinoma: role of prostaglandins and therapeutic effect of nutmeg. Br Med J. 1975;3(5974):11-2. doi:10.1136/bmj.3.5974.11. PMID:1169097
    16. Shafiei Z, Shuhairi NN, Md Fazly Shah Yap N, Harry Sibungkil CA, Latip J. Antibacterial Activity of Myristica fragrans against Oral Pathogens. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:825362. doi:10.1155/2012/825362. PMID:23049613
    17. Axe J, Rubin J. How to Fight Depression: 7 Secrets to Stop Depression. Ancient Medicine Today, Dr. Josh Axe on YouTube. 2017 (Dr. Axe at 24:19, nutmeg's benefits "in supporting the brain"; at 24:30, "very good for your digestive tract and also very good for your blood sugar levels").
    18. Plaingam W, Sangsuthum S, Angkhasirisap W, Tencomnao T. Kaempferia parviflora rhizome extract and Myristica fragrans volatile oil increase the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters and impact the proteomic profiles in the rat hippocampus: Mechanistic insights into their neuroprotective effects. J Tradit Complement Med. 2017;7(4):538-552. doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2017.01.002. PMID:29034205
    19. Axe J. Deep Sleep Protocol. DrAxe.com protocol. 2026 ("The 4-Phase Protocol Roadmap," p. 15: "This is the order I use with patients: anchor the clock, build the wind-down, deepen, then protect it").
    20. Pashapoor A, Mashhadyrafie S, Mortazavi P. Ameliorative effect of Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) extract on oxidative status and histology of pancreas in alloxan induced diabetic rats. Folia Morphol (Warsz). 2020;79(1):113-119. doi:10.5603/FM.a2019.0052. PMID:31063201
    21. Ram A, Lauria P, Gupta R, Sharma VN. Hypolipidaemic effect of Myristica fragrans fruit extract in rabbits. J Ethnopharmacol. 1996;55(1):49-53. doi:10.1016/s0378-8741(96)01473-0. PMID:9121167
    22. Axe J. Top 12 Foods & Herbs for Weight Loss (BETTER THAN OZEMPIC). The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2025 (Dr. Axe at 29:45, the pumpkin pie spice he has had patients take for years, a blend of cinnamon, clove and ginger and sometimes nutmeg or allspice; YouTube -Uq92QA3MKw).
    23. Zhang WK, Tao SS, Li TT, Li YS, Li XJ, Tang HB, et al. Nutmeg oil alleviates chronic inflammatory pain through inhibition of COX-2 expression and substance P release in vivo. Food Nutr Res. 2016;60:30849. doi:10.3402/fnr.v60.30849. PMID:27121041
    24. Motilal S, Maharaj RG. Nutmeg extracts for painful diabetic neuropathy: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study. J Altern Complement Med. 2013;19(4):347-52. doi:10.1089/acm.2012.0016. PMID:23098698
    25. Axe J. How to Prevent & Heal Cold & Flu Naturally (Foods, Supplements, & Herbs for Rapid Recovery). The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2024 (Dr. Axe at 16:34 to 17:00, coldness entering the body and warming herbs and spices in Chinese medicine; YouTube jw-cciZ5TTY).
    26. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels. Content current as of 2024.
    27. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Spices, mace, ground. FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC ID 170927 (Myristica fragrans; per 100 g: 475 kcal, 32.4 g fat of which 9.51 g saturated, 20.2 g fiber, 252 mg calcium, 13.9 mg iron, 2.47 mg copper, 21 mg vitamin C; 1 tsp = 1.7 g). Values read from the FDC portal data, October 26, 2026.
    28. Najeeya AGF, Sultana A. Efficacy of mace (Arils of Myristica fragrans Houtt) plus PFMT on symptoms in mixed urinary incontinence: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Integr Med Res. 2018;7(4):307-315. doi:10.1016/j.imr.2018.10.001. PMID:30519527
    29. Axe J, Ballantyne S. Why Restrictive Diets Do More Harm Than Good. The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2024 (Dr. Axe at 51:02, Ayurveda's belief that meals are medicine; YouTube U053LO-mzWk).
    30. Axe J. Top 5 Holiday Superfoods You Didn't Know You Needed. The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2024 (Dr. Axe at 7:01, pumpkin pie spice as a way he gets cinnamon, "really great to add to your smoothies in the morning"; YouTube ppj8vUGgLNI).
    31. Bleisch A, Späni S, Schumann R, Dongre K, Degrandi C, Leuppi-Taegtmeyer A. Intoxication with nutmeg: A case presentation and analysis of Swiss poisons information center (Tox Info Suisse) enquiries 2014-2023. Toxicol Rep. 2026;16:102274. doi:10.1016/j.toxrep.2026.102274. PMID:42205531
    32. Ehrenpreis JE, DesLauriers C, Lank P, Armstrong PK, Leikin JB. Nutmeg poisonings: a retrospective review of 10 years experience from the Illinois Poison Center, 2001-2011. J Med Toxicol. 2014;10(2):148-51. doi:10.1007/s13181-013-0379-7. PMID:24452991
    33. Imtiaz A, Almutairy BM, Almutairi TM, Aloufi MM, Almutairi AH. Mace Poisoning: Accidental Toxic Ingestion in a Child Leading to a Reversible Coma. Cureus. 2024;16(12):e76284. doi:10.7759/cureus.76284. PMID:39850188
    34. Lavy G. Nutmeg intoxication in pregnancy. A case report. J Reprod Med. 1987;32(1):63-4. PMID:3560064
    35. Tajuddin, Ahmad S, Latif A, Qasmi IA, Amin KM. An experimental study of sexual function improving effect of Myristica fragrans Houtt. (nutmeg). BMC Complement Altern Med. 2005;5:16. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-5-16. PMID:16033651
    36. Lee KE, Mun S, Pyun HB, Kim MS, Hwang JK. Effects of macelignan isolated from Myristica fragrans (Nutmeg) on expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 and type I procollagen in UVB-irradiated human skin fibroblasts. Biol Pharm Bull. 2012;35(10):1669-75. doi:10.1248/bpb.b12-00037. PMID:23037157
    Dr. Josh Axe

    Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS

    Doctor of Natural Medicine · Founder, DrAxe.com

    Dr. Axe is a certified doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, and multiple New York Times bestselling author. He has spent 20+ years in clinical practice helping people heal at the root cause and founded one of the most-visited natural-health platforms in the world.

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    This article is for educational purposes. See our medical disclaimer.