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 sniff it and expand their awareness. The natives used it to hallucinate, but when they used it in extreme quantities they found it could be 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 actually named it "mesk." The French called it "noix muguette" and the English transliterated the name to "nut meg."
The Europeans fell in love with this tantalizing spice. Middle Eastern food was filled with it so the Portuguese set out to find the Spice Islands in Indonesia and cultivate it themselves. Thanks to their due diligence and Dutch intervention, Grenada and Indonesia now produce a large amount of the world's nutmeg, but Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, and St. Vincent in the Caribbean produce large amounts of nutmeg as well.
The ingredients in nutmeg oil are myristicin, limonene, l-terpineol, d-pinene, d-borneol geraniol and safrol, which make the oil colorless, but it 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's 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 controlled.
Other reports list nutmeg essential oil as an aphrodisiac since low doses can increase the libido, which increases sexual activity. 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 call a hypnotic state. The experience seems like another reality, but that reality can help increase the sex drive in some men. The oil stimulates the libido, plus it has a pleasing aroma and great taste among essential oils, and those qualities alone make nutmeg renowned in the natural world.
Michael D. Thompson, an organic perfumer and accredited Master Herbalist, is the founder and director of Florapathics, LLC which manufactures all-natural, organically-derived personal care products that are infused with pure essential oils for aromatherapy.
Visit our aromatherapy blog to read about the benefits and uses of nutmeg oil and many other oils.
Florapathics line of over 90 essential oils is used by professionals and enthusiasts alike. Florapathics gives FREE shipping in the US for all orders. Visit http://www.florapathics.com/ and view our selection over 400 products including artisan-made luxury soy candles, body care, hair care, facial care, and aromatherapy supplies.
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