Nutmeg Essential Oil
Myristica fragrans
The nutmeg tree produces fruits that once ripe and opened, reveal an aril known as mace. Inside the aril are the nuts that we know as nutmeg.
Description
Steam distilled Nutmeg Essential Oil is a warming oil that when used judiciously, it is a wonderful essential oil for use in helping to ease digestive complaints as well as muscular aches and pains. A little goes a long way for all essential oils, but this especially holds true for Nutmeg Essential Oil. It primarily contains monoterpenes, but also contains approximately 10% ethers including myristicine and safrole as well as the phenol methyeugenol. Although it is helpful for digestive complaints, I find that it can make me feel nauseous if I do not use it ever so sparingly. See the Nutmeg Essential Oil Safety Information section below for additional safety information.
Aromatically, Nutmeg Essential Oil is a warm, spicy essential oil that is sweet and somewhat woody. It blends beautifully with other essential oils in the spice family. It also blends well with floral, citrus and wood essential oils. It can add a beautiful, distinctive spicy characteristic to otherwise bland blends.
Nutmeg CO2 Extract Select possesses a beautiful, fuller aroma that you likely will find even more aromatically pleasing than the steam distilled essential oil.
Emotionally, Nutmeg Essential Oil can be a very stimulating essential oil. I've found it to be especially helpful in supporting my motivation and focus during especially challenging times. But again, a little goes a very long way. Robbi Zeck writes "When there is heaviness, sluggishness, a feeling of being conquered and unable to face the tasks ahead, Nutmeg stokes the fire, intensifies the energy and provides hearty warmth with its glowing heat." [Robbi Zeck, ND, The Blossoming Heart: Aromatherapy for Healing and Transformation (Victoria, Australia: Aroma Tours, 2008), 100.]
Nutmeg Essential Oil Benefits and Uses
- Gastrointestinal Spasm
- Nausea
- Upset Stomach
- Rheumatism
- Arthritis
- Muscular Aches And Pains
- Muscular Injury
- Menstrual Cramps
- Nervousness
- Tension
Source: Valerie Ann Worwood, The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, 25th Anniversary Edition (Novato, CA: New World Library, 2016, 609.
Botanical Name
Plant Family
Common Method of Extraction
Steam Distilled
Plant Part Typically Used
Color
Clear
Consistency
Thin
Perfumery Note
Middle
Strength of Initial Aroma
Medium - Strong
Aromatic Description
Nutmeg Essential Oil smells spicy, sweet and woody. It is similar in aroma to the cooking spice, but it is much more fragrant.
Major Constituents of East Indian Nutmeg Oil:
- Sabinene
- a-Pinene
- B-Pinene
- Myristicin
- Terpinene-4-ol
- Gamma-Terpinene
- Linalool
- (+)-Limonene
- a-Phellandrene
- a-Terpinene
- Safrole
- a-Thujene
- Methyleugenol (reported for East Indian Nutmeg Oil)
See Essential Oil Safety for more complete list of typical constituents.
Source: B.M. Lawrence, Essential Oils 1988-1991 (Wheaton: Allured Publishing, 1995), 202. G.I. Simpson, Y.A. Jackson. Comparison of the Chemical Composition of East Indian, Jamaican and Other West Indian Essential Oils of Myristica fragrans Houtt. (Journal of Essential Oil Research 14, 2002), 6-9. Sources cited in Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 366.
Nutmeg Essential Oil Safety Information
Tisserand and Young warn that Nutmeg Essential Oil is potentially carcinogenic and can be psychotropic in high doses. They recommend a dermal maximum of 0.8% for East Indian and 5% for West Indian Nutmeg Oils. Reading Tisserand and Young's full profile is recommended. [Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 366-367.]
Nutmeg CO2 Supercritical Select Extract
In addition to being available as an essential oil, this botanical is available from a small number of reputable sources as a CO2 extract. CO2 extracts offer many advantages. However, they can have differing safety precautions than essential oils because the natural chemistry of CO2 extracts can differ from their essential oil counterparts. Not much safety information is documented from trusted sources for CO2 extracts. Use CO2 extracts with great care and do not assume that every CO2 extract has the same safety precautions as its essential oil counterpart.
General Safety Information
Do not take any oils internally and do not apply undiluted essential oils, absolutes, CO2s or other concentrated essences onto the skin without advanced essential oil knowledge or consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. For general dilution information, read AromaWeb's Guide to Diluting Essential Oils. If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, use oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Use extreme caution when using oils with children and be sure to first read the recommended dilution ratios for children. Consult a qualified aromatherapy practitioner before using oils with children, the elderly, if you have medical issues or are taking medications. Before using this or any essential oil, carefully read AromaWeb's Essential Oil Safety Information page. For in-depth information on oil safety issues, read Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young.
Shelf Life
Important Information About the Profiles
The essential oil information provided on AromaWeb is intended for basic educational purposes only. The references to safety information, test results, constituents and percentages is generalized information. Essential oils can vary greatly in composition. The data is not necessary complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate. The essential oil photos are intended to represent the typical and approximate color of each essential oil. However, essential oil composition and color can vary based on harvesting, distillation, age of the essential oil and other factors. Profiles for several CO2 Extracts and absolutes are included within the directory, and are denoted as such.
