All About Nutmeg Essential Oil
Nutmeg essential oil has a spicy aroma with a background of sweetness. This oil is great to use during the holidays because it pairs well with other festive oils.
Nutmeg also has an uplifting aroma, which is another reason why its popular around the holidays. The uplifting aroma of nutmeg helps people feel happy.
Nutmeg is one of the most popular spices on earth. Nutmeg has been in many of our cooking and baking recipes for generations.
Let’s learn more about where nutmeg comes from and how to use it. But first, pin this page for later.
Where Does Nutmeg Come From?
Nutmeg is grown from the Myristica fragrans tree. Myristica fragrans is an evergreen tree that is native to Indonesia. Even though the Myristica fragrans originates in Indonesia, Guatemala actually produces the most nutmeg in the world.
Indonesia and India are second and third in Nutmeg production before the numbers drop in production significantly.
Young Living steam distills the fruit and seeds of the tree for the nutmeg oil.
History Of Nutmeg
Nutmeg has been a very popular spice for centuries. It was one of the most valuable spices in the Indian ocean trading days from 800AD to 1500AD. Nutmeg was used by the Indians in recipes and medicine.
The people of the Banda Islands, (where the Myristica fragrans was grown) made a good living trading to the Indian and Arab traders. But the Indian and Arab traders made the most money trading to other to other settlers around the coasts of the Indian ocean.
Portugal tried to take over the Banda Islands to monopolize the Nutmeg spice trade but were driven out by the people of the Banda Islands before they could build their settlements.
The Netherlands however, successfully took over the Banda Islands and thus monopolized the Nutmeg spice trade for almost two centuries.
The Dutch then joined Napoleon’s empire and became an enemy of the British. The British took over the Banda Islands from the Dutch and began planting the Myristica fragrans tree on other Islands owned by the British. The valuable nutmeg spice was now easier to obtain and the monopoly ended.
Three Ways to Use Nutmeg Essential Oil
- Use Nutmeg Vitality in your cooking and baking recipes as a substitute for powdered nutmeg.
- Diffuse with other autumn and winter oils such as Cinnamon Bark, Clove, Ginger, Orange, and Peppermint for a festive aroma
- Nutmeg can also provide feelings of comfort when applied topically with a carrier oil.
