Nutmeg is a Hallucinogen. At high enough concentrations? Yes, nutmeg really can be a hallucinogen, creating effects similar to MDMA compounds.
Nutmeg is a popular spice that can make a person hallucinate if they consume too much. Keep reading to learn more about this fact…
Facts about Nutmeg
Nutmeg, (Myristica fragrans), tropical evergreen tree (family Myristicaceae), and the spice made of its seed. The tree is native to the Moluccas, or Spice Islands, of Indonesia and is principally cultivated there and in the West Indies.
The spice nutmeg has a distinctive pungent fragrance and a warm slightly sweet taste; it is used to flavor many kinds of baked goods, confections, puddings, potatoes, meats, sausages, sauces, vegetables, and such beverages as eggnog. The fleshy arils surrounding the nutmeg seed are the source of the spice mace.
The Origin
Historically, grated nutmeg was used as a sachet, and the Romans used it as incense. Around 1600 it became important as an expensive commercial spice in the Western world and was the subject of Dutch plots to keep prices high and of English and French counterplots to obtain fertile seeds for transplantation.
The nutmegs sold whole were dipped in lime to prevent their sprouting.
Nutmeg trees may reach a height of about 20 meters (65 feet). They yield fruit eight years after sowing, reach their prime in 25 years, and bear fruit for 60 years or longer. The fruit is a pendulous drupe, similar in appearance to an apricot.
When fully mature it splits in two, exposing a crimson-colored aril, the mace, surrounding a single shiny brown seed, the nutmeg. The pulp of the fruit is eaten locally. After collection the aril-enveloped nutmegs are conveyed to curing areas where the mace is removed, flattened out, and dried.
The nutmegs are dried gradually in the sun and turned twice daily over a period of six to eight weeks. During this time the nutmeg shrinks away from its hard seed coat until the kernels rattle in their shells when shaken.
The shell is then broken with a wooden truncheon and the nutmegs are picked out. Dried nutmegs are grayish-brown ovals with furrowed surfaces.
The Content of Nutmeg
Nutmeg and mace contain 7 to 14 percent essential oil, the principal components of which are pinene, camphene, and dipentene. Nutmeg on expression yields about 24 to 30 percent fixed oil called nutmeg butter, or oil of mace, the principal component of which is trimyristin.
The oils are used as condiments and carminatives and to scent soaps and perfumes. An ointment of nutmeg butter has been used as a counterirritant and in the treatment of rheumatism.
When consumed in large amounts, nutmeg has psychoactive effects and is reported to be a deliriant and hallucinogen. Nutmeg poisoning is rarely fatal but can cause convulsions, palpitations, and pain.
The name nutmeg is also applied in different countries to other fruits or seeds: Jamaica, or calabash, nutmeg derived from Monodora myristica (family Annonaceae);
the Brazilian nutmeg from Cryptocarya moschata (family Lauraceae); the Peruvian nutmeg from Laurelia aromatica (family Atherospermataceae); Madagascar, or clove, nutmeg from Ravensara aromatica (family Lauraceae); and California, or stinking, nutmeg from Torreya californica (family Taxaceae).
People use nutmeg when preparing and cooking food, often choosing to flavor the following foods with it: pies and other baked goods, sausages, sauces, vegetables, meats, holiday beverages, such as eggnog and spiced hot chocolate.
The Effects of Nutmeg Hallucinogen
Nutmeg can be a hallucinogen. People with nutmeg intoxication experience a variety of symptoms, including drowsiness and hallucinations. There is, however, only a small amount of research on nutmeg intoxication. They found that the most common symptoms of nutmeg poisoning included:
- hallucinations
- drowsiness
- dizziness
- dry mouth
- confusion
- seizure (in two cases)
The symptoms above usually occur within 3–8 hours of the person ingesting the nutmeg and can last for roughly 10 hours. Other reported adverse physical effects associated with nutmeg intoxication include trusted Source:
- vomiting
- ileus, which is a lack of movement in the bowel
- a burning or prickling sensation in the hands, arms, legs, or feet
- numbness
- low blood pressure
- increased heart rate
- The Treatment of a Nutmeg Overdose
Other Symptoms
If a person is showing signs of poisoning, it is important that they get medical help immediately.
If a person is unconscious, a companion or bystander should place them in the recovery position while waiting for medical help to arrive.
Doing this involves lying them on their side with a cushion behind their back to stop them from rolling backward. Bending their upper leg and moving it in front of their body to lean on the ground can prevent them from falling onto their face.
The symptoms of poisoning vary depending on what substance the person has ingested, but general signs include:
- vomiting
- stomach pains
- confusion
- drowsiness
- fainting
In some more serious cases, a person may have to stay in the hospital for treatment. Medical professionals may treat nutmeg poisoning with:
- intravenous fluid
- benzodiazepines
- activated charcoal
- oxygen
Conclusion
However, nutmeg is safe, if used in small quantities just as those that standard cooking recipes use. Hence if a person consumes larger doses of this special flavoring spice, in combination with other harmful substances, it further increases the chances of experiencing nutmeg intoxication.
If someone is however showing signs of nutmeg poisoning, then it is important to seek medical assistance at once to avoid further complications.
