Nutmeg: Flavor, Cooking Use and Health Facts
Nutmeg is warm, slightly sweet and used in baking, sauces and drinks; large amounts can poison people, and no trial supports a health benefit when eaten.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
In the kitchen at a glance
Flavor:Warm / woodySweetEarthy
Aroma: Warm, sweet and woody, with a pungent edge.
Used in: baking, desserts, soups and stews, tea and drinks, vegetables
Usual amount in food: About 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) is a common grated pinch; USDA lists 2.2 g per teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and we found no official recipe amount.
What it is
Nutmeg is the seed of the tree Myristica fragrans. Mace, a second spice, is the red, lacy covering around the same seed. [1] The tree is native to the Banda Islands of Indonesia, and is also grown in Grenada, Malaysia and southern India. [1] A dried nutmeg is about 5 to 10 g. [1]Flavor and aroma
Nutmeg smells pungent and tastes warm and slightly sweet. [1] Mace is more delicate than nutmeg and gives light dishes a bright orange color. [1] The scent comes from the seed's oil, which holds many compounds, including myristicin, safrole and pinene. [1] The same oil compounds are the ones linked to poisoning when too much is eaten. [5]How it is used in cooking
Whole nutmegs are grated fresh with a small grater. Ground nutmeg is sold in jars. [1] The sources we read do not give rules for when to add it, so we give none.- Baking and sweets: puddings, cakes, pumpkin pie and eggnog. [1]
- Vegetables and potatoes: potato and spinach dishes, and Dutch dishes of Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and green beans. [1]
- Meat and filling: sausages, meatloaf, haggis and tortellini filling. [1]
- Soups and stews: Indonesian soups such as soto and bakso, and the stew semur. [1]
- India: sweet and savory dishes, and a small amount in garam masala. [1]
- Drinks: mulled wine and cider, and Caribbean rum punches. [1]
We did not find a source we trust for substitutes or substitution ratios, so we do not give them.
Normal food amounts
| Measure | Grams | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon, ground nutmeg | 2.2 g | USDA [10] |
| 1 tablespoon, ground nutmeg | 7.0 g | USDA [10] |
| 1 teaspoon, ground mace | 1.7 g | USDA [10] |
| Typical recipe amount | Not found | We opened no source that states one |
What one teaspoon (2.2 g) of ground nutmeg provides, calculated from USDA values per 100 g:
| Nutrient | One teaspoon |
|---|---|
| Energy | about 12 kcal |
| Fat | about 0.8 g |
| Fiber | about 0.5 g |
| Calcium | about 4 mg |
| Magnesium | about 4 mg |
| Manganese | about 0.06 mg |
The USDA SR Legacy data are from 2018, and real products vary. [10] We did not compare these numbers with official daily values, so we do not call nutmeg a "good source" of anything. A pinch is mostly flavor.
Buying, storing and preparing
- Forms: whole nutmeg (the seed), ground nutmeg, mace blades and ground mace. The essential oil is used in some foods and in cough syrups and toothpaste. [1]
- Whole or ground: whole nutmeg can be grated as needed. [1]
- Storing and shelf life: the sources we read give no shelf life or storage advice. Keeping spices cool, dry and sealed is common sense, not a sourced rule.
- Quality and adulteration: the sources we read do not describe any quality problem for nutmeg.
- Keep it away from children: children made up a large share of accidental exposures in a US poison-center series. [2]
Health: what research says
Eating nutmeg in cooking is very different from swallowing it by the spoonful or taking it as a remedy.Food amounts vs supplements
| In normal cooking | In supplements and extracts | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical amount | About 2.2 g per teaspoon (USDA); no recipe amount found [10] | No official amount found |
| What studies mostly used | Almost none; research is mostly poison reports and animal work | Lab and animal studies; one human trial of a skin product [7][9] |
| What we can say about benefit | Culinary amounts produce no noticeable effects, per one reference [1] | No human trial we read shows a benefit when taken by mouth [9] |
| Main safety limit | Very large amounts can cause delirium, fast heartbeat and sleepiness [4][6] | Poisoning reports; liver and kidney changes in rats at very high amounts [8] |
What the evidence shows
| Use | What the sources found | Strength of evidence | Form and population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Painful diabetic nerve symptoms | In a 74-person trial, a skin product with nutmeg and mace oils did not add benefit over the comparison product after 4 weeks. [7] | No good evidence of benefit | Skin product; adults with diabetes in Trinidad [7] |
| Blood sugar, inflammation, cancer, memory | A 2025 review describes antioxidant, antidiabetic and anticancer effects in cells and animals. It says more clinical research is needed. [9] | Lab or animal only | Extracts and isolated compounds [9] |
| Digestive upset or diarrhea (traditional) | Not supported by any trial we read. | Insufficient evidence | Traditional use only |
| Poisoning from large amounts | Poison-center series and case reports describe harm; most are mild, a few are severe. [2][3][4][5][6] | Documented harm | Teens, adults and young children |
| Long-term high intake | Rats given nutmeg powder for 90 days at very high amounts had liver and spleen changes, and kidney damage at the higher amount. [8] | Lab or animal only | Rats; not cooking amounts [8] |
For more on the poison reports and remedy use, see the full herb guide: Nutmeg.
Official statements
- Poison centers (US and Switzerland): published case series describe harm from large amounts and mostly mild courses. [2][3][4]
- FDA, EFSA, EMA, WHO and NCCIH: we did not open a statement from any of these for nutmeg, so we cite none.
Related pages
Health connections for Nutmeg
What research links to this spice, and how strong the evidence is. Most studies use concentrated extracts or doses far above what you eat; each card says which.
Painful diabetic nerve symptoms (skin product)
Preliminary or mixedIn a 74-person randomized trial, a skin product with nutmeg and mace oils did not improve pain beyond the comparison product after 4 weeks.
Supplements: No added benefit in this trial; topical only, not a food or supplement finding.
Antioxidant, antidiabetic and anticancer effects in cells and animals
Lab or animal research onlyA 2025 review describes these effects in lab and animal work and says more clinical research is needed.
Supplements: Lab and animal only; no human supplement benefit shown.
Digestive use in traditional medicine
Not enough evidenceTraditional use for digestion is not backed by any trial we read.
Supplements: No evidence for food or supplements.
Connected topics
Open a group to see how each topic connects and how strong the evidence is.
Body systems (5)
- Nervous SystemDocumented risk
Large amounts have caused delirium, agitation and drowsiness in poison-center and case reports.
- Hepatic / Liver SystemDocumented risk
Liver changes were seen in rats at very high amounts; not shown in people.
- Kidney & UrinaryDocumented risk
Kidney damage in rats at the higher very high amount; not shown in people.
- Liver & DetoxDocumented risk
Liver changes in rats at very high amounts; not shown in people.
- Urinary SystemDocumented risk
Kidney damage in rats at the higher very high amount; not shown in people.
Body parts (4)
- BrainDocumented risk
Large amounts can cause delirium and an altered level of consciousness.
- Nervous SystemDocumented risk
Large amounts have caused agitation, drowsiness and seizures in reports.
- KidneysDocumented risk
Kidney damage in rats at the higher very high amount.
- LiverDocumented risk
Liver changes in rats at very high amounts.
Conditions & symptoms (3)
- DeliriumDocumented risk
A case report describes severe agitated delirium after excessive nutmeg ingestion.
- Poisoning SyndromeDocumented risk
Poison-center series describe intentional and accidental poisonings with large amounts.
- Diabetic Peripheral NeuropathyPreliminary or mixed
A trial of a skin product with nutmeg and mace oils showed no added benefit over the comparison product.
Documented risks and interactions (5)
- Poisoning from large amounts. Poison-center series and case reports describe fast heartbeat, wide pupils, drowsiness, confusion and sometimes severe agitation after swallowing large amounts of nutmeg or mace.
- Accidental exposure in children. In Illinois, more than half of accidental exposures were in children under 13; a six-year-old who ate six pieces of mace needed hospital care.
- Possible link to mood medicines. A case report notes myristicin moderately inhibits monoamine oxidase; a man on fluoxetine and quetiapine had a mild course after a very large ingestion.
- Liver and kidney changes at very high amounts (rats). Rats given nutmeg powder for 90 days at very high amounts had liver and spleen changes, and kidney damage at the higher amount.
- Pregnancy caution for large amounts. One general reference calls flavoring amounts safe and advises avoiding large amounts in pregnancy.
Frequently asked questions
Is nutmeg sweet?
It tastes warm and slightly sweet, with a pungent smell. [1] Mace is more delicate. [1]
How much is normal?
USDA lists 2.2 g per teaspoon of ground nutmeg. [10] We found no official recipe amount. A pinch in a dish is normal; large amounts have caused poisoning. [4]
Is it safe in pregnancy?
One reference calls flavoring amounts safe and advises avoiding large amounts. [1] Ask your midwife or doctor.
Can I take it with medicines?
The sources we read do not give a clear answer. Myristicin may affect an enzyme that some mood medicines also act on. [5] Ask a pharmacist.
What happens if someone eats too much?
Reports describe fast heartbeat, wide pupils, sleepiness, confusion and sometimes severe agitation. [4][6] Call your poison center, or emergency services if the person is hard to wake.
Does nutmeg have health benefits?
Lab studies are interesting, but we found no human trial showing a benefit when it is eaten. [9] A trial of a skin product for diabetic nerve symptoms showed no added benefit. [7]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety note at a glance
Safety in more detail
- Medicines: a man on fluoxetine and quetiapine who swallowed 75 g of nutmeg had a mild course. [4] A case report notes that myristicin moderately inhibits monoamine oxidase, an enzyme that some mood medicines also act on. [5] The sources we read do not show whether this matters at cooking amounts. Ask a pharmacist.
- Pregnancy: one general reference calls flavoring amounts safe and advises avoiding large amounts. [1] We did not find a stronger source.
- Breastfeeding: the sources we read do not describe breastfeeding.
- Children: in Illinois, more than half of accidental exposures were in children under 13, and a six-year-old who ate six pieces of mace became very drowsy and needed hospital care. [2][5]
- Allergy: the sources we read do not describe nutmeg allergy.
- Liver and kidney: only rat findings at very high amounts were found. [8] A review notes liver and kidney effects at high doses. [9]
- Surgery: the sources we read do not describe a surgery warning.
- Quality and contamination: the sources we read do not describe any.
- Amounts that cause trouble: the sources we read give no single safe or toxic amount. The Swiss case involved 75 g, far beyond a recipe. [4] Most poison-center cases were mild: none of 17 Texas calls led to more than moderate effects. [3] Severe cases exist, including a young adult with severe agitation who needed a breathing tube. [6] Swiss calls rose in 2020 and 2021, linked by the authors to a social media "nutmeg challenge". [4]
References
- Wikipedia — Nutmeg. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutmeg (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Nutmeg poisonings: a retrospective review of 10 years experience from the Illinois Poison Center, 2001-2011. J Med Toxicol 2014; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24452991/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Nutmeg intoxication in Texas, 1998-2004. Hum Exp Toxicol 2005; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16323572/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Intoxication with nutmeg: a case presentation and analysis of Swiss poisons information center enquiries 2014-2023. Toxicol Rep 2026; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42205531/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Mace poisoning: accidental toxic ingestion in a child leading to a reversible coma. Cureus 2024; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39850188/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Nutmeg intoxication: a case report. Cureus 2023; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37915877/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Nutmeg extracts for painful diabetic neuropathy: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study. J Altern Complement Med 2013; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23098698/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Safety of nutmeg powder by oral exposure: toxicity prediction and in vivo evaluation. Food Chem Toxicol 2025; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40024564/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Nutmeg beyond spice: a review on its therapeutic potential, safety and industrial promise. 2025; abstract read via Europe PMC. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41104350/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (April 2018) — Spices, nutmeg, ground (fdcid 171326) and Spices, mace, ground (fdcid 170927), per-100 g values and household portions from the site's USDA data file.