Nutmeg: The Spice That Caused Wars
Image Credit: Nutmeg (Photo Credit: Pexels)

Nutmeg doesn’t receive as much glory as it deserves. Seen as a companion of the over-loved cinnamon, nutmeg is not just one spice but in fact two. Obtained from the genus Myristica, nutmeg is also the name of a seed. The word nutmeg is derived from the Latin word nux, meaning nut and muscat which stands for musky.


It is cultivated from the evergreen tree Myristica fragrans and nutmeg grows well in tropical, humid islands with sandy soil. Indonesia is the largest producer of nutmeg. The nutmeg tree, however, originates in Banda which is one of the largest of the Molucca spice islands of Indonesia. India also produces a sizable amount of nutmeg. The spice 


But the tale of nutmeg goes as far back as the sixth century AD. At the time, Arab traders brought both mace and nutmeg to Constantinople. The traders spread rumours about the spice’s potency which boosted the prices of nutmeg. Over the next six hundred years, nutmeg became an exquisite spice and extremely pricey in the European markets for the elite. 


In the year 1512, the Portuguese explorers found the source for nutmeg and captured the area around Banda islands. This made nutmeg cheaper in Europe. In the 1600s many wars were fought between the Dutch and English to get control of the island. The Dutch captured the final control and a monopoly over the spice were established. In 1770, the French smuggled trees from the island to Mauritius. This led to the downfall of the Dutch’s monopoly over nutmeg.

Today, Grenada and Indonesia are the primary producers and exporters of this spice.


Nutmeg has many culinary uses. It is available in a powdered version or whole which can be grated. It also has great medicinal uses and works as a hallucinogenic. It helps with digestion,  preventing bad breath, depression and improves sleep.