Nutmeg

Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) of the Myristicaceae family contains limonene and myristicin along with other components. Nutmeg oil is produced by steam or steam and water distillation. Nutmeg essential oil blends well with clove oil, oil from Bay Leaves, clary sage, cinnamon oil, lime oil, rosemary oil, coriander oil, cassia oil, geranium oil, Balsam Peru, and lavandin.

Common Name: Nutmeg

Botanical Name: Myristica fragrans Houtt.

Family: Myristicaceae.

Synonyms: Myristica moschata Thunb.; Myristica officinalis L. f.; M. aromatica Swartz; M. amboinensis Gand.; myristica.

Origin: Indigenous to southeast Asia and Amboine islands in the Moluccas, Indonesia. It's commercially cultivated in Indonesia (East Indian), Grenada (West Indian), and to a smaller degree in Sri Lanka (East Indian).

Botanical Description: A spreading dioecious (male and female in separate plants) evergreen tree 15 to 20-meters (49 to 66 ft) tall with dark green leaves, yellow flowers without petals, and large yellowish fruit. All parts of the tree are fragrant. Female trees produce pale brownish yellow, fleshy fruit that splits in two at maturity. Inside is a large, hard seed surrounded by bright red aril (seed cover) that forms a thin, net-like fleshy layer.

Oil Extraction: Nutmeg essential oil is obtained by steam or steam and water distillation of the pressed nutmegs. The oil is fluid white to pale yellow liquid.

Yield: 6.5 to 13%.

Aroma Profile: Nutmeg oil has a fresh, fragrant, terpene-like top note. The middle note is warm, spicy-sweet, and rich. The dry out is warm, sweet, and rather woody.

Major Constituents:
Sabinene (14 to 30%), α-pinene (15 to 28%), β-pinene (10 to 18%), limonene, γ-terpinene, terpinen-4-ol, myristicin (5 to 10%), α-terpinene.

Adulterants: Not usually adulterated.

Regulatory Status: GRAS 182.20.

Aromatherapy: Nutmeg essential oil is energizing, rejuvenating, and uplifting.

Blends well with: Peru Balsam, bay leaf, cassia oil, cinnamon oil, clary sage, clove oil, coriander oil, geranium oil, lavandin, lime oil, mandarin, petitgrain, and rosemary oil.

Safety Data: Non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing.

Notes: Other forms of nutmeg as well as related accessories are also available from Hope for Health.