Kapanlagi.com - Nutmeg is one of the typical Indonesian spices that is very popular in Europe. It is a plant in the form of a tree that originates from the Banda Islands, Maluku. It has even become a valuable spice and an important trading commodity since the Roman era. Of course, this is not only because nutmeg is a food flavoring, but also because nutmeg has many benefits for the body.
Even until now, nutmeg is still favored and exported to Europe to be used as ingredients for medicine, cosmetics, and food. Various processed products from nutmeg are also easily found. If in Indonesia nutmeg may only be used as an additional ingredient in cooking, it is different overseas where it has been processed into various products such as healthy drinks, health products, traditional medicine, and so on.
This is due to the many contents of nutmeg. Among them are protein, fat, carbohydrates, essential oils, sodium, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B1, oleanolic acid, and many more. So it's no wonder that the benefits of nutmeg are very numerous for the body.
But what are some of the benefits of nutmeg? According to various sources, here are 10 health benefits of nutmeg that you must know. Let's check it out, KLovers.
1. Nutrition in Nutmeg
Illustration (credit: Freepik)
Before knowing the benefits of nutmeg, you must first know what nutrients are contained in nutmeg. And there are many nutrients in nutmeg, and here are the nutritional contents in 100 grams of nutmeg:
Calories: 525
Fat: 36 grams
Carbohydrates: 49 grams
Protein: 6 grams
Sodium: 16 milligrams
Potassium: 350 milligrams
Calcium: 184 milligrams
Iron: 3 milligrams
Magnesium: 183 milligrams
Vitamin C: 3 milligrams
Vitamin A: 30 micrograms
Vitamin B6: 0.2 milligrams
Niacin: 1.3 milligrams
With these incredible nutritional contents, nutmeg has many extraordinary benefits. And nutmeg can be used in various forms, such as a food seasoning, herbal medicine, and even cosmetics.
2. Increasing Appetite
The first benefit of nutmeg is that it can increase someone's appetite. For those of you who have difficulty eating, you can use nutmeg to overcome this. This can also be done for children who have difficulty eating.
This is because nutmeg contains the enzyme lipase which is beneficial for increasing appetite. You can mix nutmeg into food or drinks that can be consumed, so that the appetite of children can increase.
3. Treating Acid Reflux
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Then the next benefit of nutmeg is that it can effectively treat acid reflux. Yup! Acid reflux can be experienced by anyone, and it occurs when someone eats late or consumes something incorrectly. If this happens, those affected by acid reflux will experience symptoms such as stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, headache, and loss of appetite.
And to overcome this, you can use the benefits of nutmeg. This is because the saponin content in nutmeg is believed to relieve and reduce acid reflux in the body. So by consuming nutmeg, acid reflux in the body can be reduced effectively.
4. Improving Mood
Who says only chocolate can improve your mood? In fact, spices like nutmeg can also improve your mood, KLovers. In a surprising discovery, the benefits of nutmeg fruit in treating depression were found. This is because nutmeg fruit has antidepressant effects.
You can consume nutmeg fruit in the form of a warm drink. This drink will make you feel more relaxed and calm. Moreover, the magnesium content in nutmeg can reduce nerve tension and even stimulate the release of serotonin, a hormone that creates a sense of relaxation. Not only that, serotonin is converted into melatonin in the brain, which promotes sleep, helping someone overcome insomnia or anxiety at night.
5. Fighting Bacterial Infections
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Having extraordinary content, it is no wonder that the benefits of nutmeg can fight bacterial infections. This is because of the antibacterial compounds found in it. Nutmeg has been found to overcome Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Streptococcus mutans bacteria, which are the causes of gum disease and cavities.
Not only the bacteria that cause gum disease and cavities, nutmeg is also believed to fight against E.coli bacteria that can be deadly when circulating in the blood. Although the benefits of nutmeg mentioned above are based on research, further studies are still needed to confirm the benefits of nutmeg for human health.
6. Improving Brain Health
The brain is one of the important organs in the body that needs to be provided with nutrition. In improving brain health, you can use the benefits of nutmeg. Nutmeg contains myristicin and macelignan compounds. These compounds can reduce nerve system damage and cognitive function commonly found in patients with dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
There is even a study that shows that these compounds can slow down the effects of nerve system damage and keep your brain functioning normally. In addition, the benefits of nutmeg can also improve your concentration and eliminate fatigue and stress.
7. Detoxifying the Body
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In fact, cloves can also be a tonic, and this tonic can remove toxins from the body and improve overall health. Cloves can help eliminate stored or accumulated toxins in the liver and kidneys. The benefits of cloves can cleanse the body's organs from stored toxins, such as alcohol, drugs, pollution, or food.
In addition, the active compounds contained in cloves can help dissolve kidney stones and improve the function of the kidneys and liver. So, your body will remain healthy because every human has toxins in their body. And these toxins must be regularly eliminated to prevent them from becoming dangerous diseases that attack the body.
8. Dealing with Digestive Problems
Having a good digestion is also a sign of a healthy body. In addition to exercise, you can also consume healthy food to deal with digestive problems. And one of the healthy foods is cloves. The fiber found in cloves can stimulate the digestion process by promoting peristaltic movements in smooth muscle of the intestines.
In addition, the compounds in cloves can also stimulate the secretion of various gastric and intestinal fluids, facilitating the digestion process. The fiber content in cloves can also help with digestive problems such as diarrhea, constipation, and bloating. So, by consuming cloves, you can effectively deal with digestive problems.
9. Maintaining Oral Health
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Not only that, oral health must also be maintained in order to keep the body healthy. If the mouth is not properly cared for, it can cause problems such as canker sores, sore throat, dental plaque, bad breath, and cavities. And to maintain oral health, you can use the benefits of nutmeg.
That's because nutmeg contains antibacterial properties. And this content can effectively help clean bacteria that cause bad breath or halitosis. In addition, nutmeg can also improve the immunity of your gums and teeth. It can also treat gum problems and toothaches. This is why nutmeg is often used as an additive in toothpaste or herbal mouthwash.
10. Boosting the Immune System
Another benefit of nutmeg is that it can boost the immune system in the body. If you want to have a healthy and strong body, boosting the immune system is important. That's because the immune system can keep the body away from diseases caused by viruses and bacteria. This is because the various vitamins, including vitamin C, in nutmeg fruit are believed to enhance the immune system. So the body will be protected from various diseases that can attack.
11. Nourishing the Skin
Illustration (credit: Freepik)
And the last benefit of nutmeg is that it can nourish the skin. Nutmeg contains scolopetin which can stop inflammation on the skin. Chickenpox scars and boils can be eliminated with nutmeg, so the skin will become smoother.
The way to use it is also quite easy, KLovers, you only need to grate the nutmeg fruit and mix it with honey and water. Apply it to the desired location and leave it on for about 30 minutes. After that, rinse with warm water.
Those are 10 benefits of nutmeg for body health that you must know. Not only as a spice for cooking, it turns out that nutmeg also has many benefits for your body health. Even the content in nutmeg can nourish the body very well.
(kpl/dhm)
Disclaimer: This translation from Bahasa Indonesia to English has been generated by Artificial Intelligence.