Folklore

Historical writing from Arabia identifies nutmeg as an aphrodisiac and a stomach medicine. This is reinforced by ancient Roman and Indian texts, which also regarded nutmeg as a medication. In addition, the Romans used nutmeg as incense.

There have been many suggestions that nutmeg has the ability to clear one’s mind and encourage restful sleep. In the practice of Ayurveda, it is a sleeping and digestive aid.

Pregnant women might do well to avoid eating lots of nutmeg – it was once thought of as a self-abortion medication in the Middle Ages, and has been found to be toxic in high amounts. At this time, people also realised that taking nutmeg in high doses could produce hallucinations, due to the amphetamine and mescaline found in the spice.