Nutmeg and Mace

Learn about the history and pharmacology of these precious spices. You'll look at your pumpkin spice latte in a whole new light after reading this!

Oct 19, 2023

Greetings from Charleston, West Virginia! I’m writing to you today from my hotel room with a view of some gorgeous fall foliage. In the distance, rolling forested hills sparkle in a rainbow of orange, gold, and fading green. I’m here for the conference of the American Council on Medicinally Active Plants. I was deeply honored to give the opening keynote lecture to the meeting at West Virginia State University last night, where I presented on my research group’s work on antimicrobial medicinal plants.

Fall hasn’t quite hit my home in Georgia in full force, so seeing the changing of the leaves here is something really special for me. Thoughts of fall make me dream of apple pie and pumpkin spice lattes. So, today I decided to share the tale of this special plant: Myristica fragrans, the nutmeg tree. Nutmeg’s story is an extraordinary one.

Its location on Earth was once a highly guarded secret. Greed for the acquisition and trade of this plant led to the massacre and subjugation of the islanders who cultivated it. Nutmegs were so valued that, at their trade's peak, they were worth their weight in gold! In American prisons, inmates discovered the hallucinogenic properties of the spice when taken in very high—dangerously toxic—doses. Today, many of us have either the whole nutmeg or its ground powder in our kitchen cabinets, tucked away behind the jars of rosemary and black pepper. We often sip lattes containing this precious commodity without realizing its historic importance. After reading this, you’ll look at this spice in a whole new light.

Botanical Origins

Fresh nutmeg tree fruit. After removing the pale outer flesh, the deep red aril is removed from the black nut and both are dried for use as spices.

Nutmeg, a fragrant and tasty spice, comes from an evergreen tropical tree, Myristica fragrans in the Myristicaceae plant family. Originally native to Indonesia, India, and Sri Lanka, this tree has since found a home in many tropical regions around the world. Its roots trace back to the Moluccas in Indonesia, often referred to as the "Spice Islands." Standing between 5-20 meters tall, it sports dark green leaves and has bark that oozes pink or red sap. Its pale yellow, bell-shaped flowers can be either male or female, and sometimes both types are found on the same tree. The tree's fruit houses the nutmeg seed, surrounded by a red, lacy cover called mace. Best grown in warm, humid climates, these trees love the rich soils of tropical rainforests.

Medicinal Uses

Historically, nutmeg and mace were valued additives in alcoholic drinks in ancient Rome. During medieval and renaissance feasts, they, alongside cinnamon, were generously sprinkled onto dishes.

Today, nutmeg is widely used as a spice and flavor in foods. It is also a source of essential oils. Mace, which is the red aril found on the nut, is also used for flavoring foods. However, nutmeg and mace are more than just kitchen spices! The plant is believed to have health benefits. Here are just a few examples of their traditional medicinal applications:

Traditional Chinese Medicine:
- Mace is utilized for strengthening the stomach and as an abortifacient.
Ayurvedic Practices (India):
- Helps with respiratory issues like asthma.
- Alleviates digestive complaints, especially when combined with other aromatics.
General Health Benefits:
- Used in remedies for diarrhea, stomach cramps, and chronic vomiting.
- Treatments for rheumatism and headaches.
- Used as an external stimulant for sprains and paralysis (via nutmeg butter ointment).
- Some consider it an aphrodisiac and a post-childbirth tonic.
Caution:
- In high amounts, nutmeg can be hallucinogenic—these effects due to its dangerous toxicity at very high doses, different from other classic plant- or fungal-derived hallucinogens. High dose consumption of this plant should be avoided.

Pharmacology

Recent scientific investigations have identified approximately 250 compounds in this plant, encompassing lignans, neolignans, diphenylalkanes, phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, steroids, triterpenoids, saponin, flavonoids, among others. In laboratory studies, nutmeg extracts manifest a diverse range of biological effects. These include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-obesity, antidiabetic, and anticancer properties. Additionally, they display analgesic, chemopreventive, hepatoprotective, neuropharmacologic, cardioprotective, toxicological, and other significant pharmacological actions.

Recipes

I won’t try to recreate in my own recipe what others have already perfected! Take a look at this At Home Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe from Starbucks. I love the blend of spices they recommend in the syrup—cinnamon sticks, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg—all being extremely important ingredients in the ancient spice trade from Asia to Europe.

History of Trade and the Banda Massacre

Crusaders returned to Europe with a taste for more exotic flavors and in the 12th century, Venetian spice traders offered nutmeg along with cloves in European markets. However, the precise location of the islands remained elusive.

As it turns out, the Banda Islands in Southeast Asia were historically the primary source of nutmeg. In the 13th century, Marco Polo's book "Travels" mentioned nutmeg during his recounting of grand adventures, piquing European interest in the possible location of this exotic ingredient from the East. As demand grew, the true source of nutmeg remained hidden, with traders often obscuring its origins with fantastical stories.

By the 15th century, Europe's immense craving for spices like nutmeg and clove turned the Moluccan Islands into a hot destination for Portuguese explorers. In 1512, from their base in Malacca, the Portuguese dispatched an expedition to find these elusive Spice Islands. Leading a couple of boats, Francisco Serrâo became the first European to collect nutmeg and cloves right from their source, pinpointing nutmeg to a pair of Banda Islands and cloves to places like Ternate and Timore in the sprawling Moluccan archipelago.

By the 17th century, the Dutch displaced the Portuguese. In 1620, aiming for commercial dominance in the Banda Islands, the Dutch sought to subjugate the Bandanese and repopulate the islands. A substantial Dutch fleet left Batavia, reinforced itself at Ambon, and reached Banda by early 1621. Their initial reconnaissance of the main island faced resistance. Later, a full-scale assault was launched, and the island was secured. Subsequently, the local elite proposed a peace agreement, adhering to Dutch terms while retaining some personal rights. However, the relationship soured as islanders resisted Dutch dominance. The Dutch's response grew brutal: they deported and enslaved hundreds of local people, executed many, and decimated villages. The intense conflict drove many locals to prefer death over submission. The Dutch East India Company restricted nutmeg cultivation to ensure they were the sole suppliers and maintained a monopoly on its trade for a century.

The Takeaway

Every spice and medicinal plant has an origin story—a birthplace where it was once exclusively utilized by the indigenous individuals who either wild-harvested or domesticated it for cultivation. Regrettably, many of these tales aren't gentle ones. The desire of foreign powers to obtain botanical treasures to enrich culinary and medical practices or to bolster economic trade often resulted in the oppression of local communities.

When you savor these ingredients, please appreciate their history. As we approach a season of harvest and gratitude, spare a moment to reflect on the original guardians of these invaluable plants.

Yours in health, Dr. Quave