The sweet scent of nutmeg oil drifts through your house. It’s the aroma of warm hugs and a cosy home, but it’s also been used for centuries for its wellness and beauty properties. The unsuspecting spice is abundant in essential vitamins and nutrients and is a potent antioxidant.
In this article, we share the health benefits of nutmeg oil so you can nurture your body. We’ll also give you some of our best tips on using nutmeg oil to enhance your lifestyle. Whether it’s nutmeg oil for pain or nutmeg essential oil benefits in the bedroom, we’ve got you covered.
What is Nutmeg Oil?
Nutmeg oil is extracted from the spice nutmeg. Despite its name, nutmeg is a seed that comes from a tree, not a nut.
Whole nutmegs are small, round, light brown, and usually ground into powder, but you can extract nutmeg oil. The oil has a warm, spicy-sweet aroma with woody undertones and is an all-year-round essential.
What is Nutmeg Oil Good for?
Dreamy nutmeg oil doesn’t just smell beautiful. There are incredible benefits of nutmeg essential oil for your health and wellness.
1. Soothes Aches and Pains
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Nutmeg is a potent anti-inflammatory, and calms aggravated cells that may be causing swelling and aches in your joints. A 2016 study found that nutmeg oil can help ease chronic inflammation and is a natural pain reliever.
2. Improves Sleep
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Screens, stress, noise and light pollution are just some modern-day factors that can affect your sleep. However, nutmeg oil could help. The spice contains magnesium, which activates the sleep hormone melatonin. Add it to your bedtime wellness routine as the perfect antidote to a restless sleep.
3. Great for the Immune System
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The immune system is your body’s defence mechanism that fights off harmful pathogens. Nutmeg oil contains phytonutrients that fortify the immune system to fend against illness and help you recover. But that’s not all. The warming and earthy oil is also bursting with iron, magnesium, zinc and copper to boost your white blood cell count. The white blood cells then generate antibodies to enhance your immunity.
4. Looks After Your Heart
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Nutmeg benefits include its anti-inflammatory effects, which is good news for your heart. When ingested in capsules, it soothes artery walls, opening them up and allowing blood to flow easily. This puts less pressure on your heart as it doesn’t have to work as hard to circulate your blood.
5. Enhances Libido
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Nutmeg oil is a powerful aphrodisiac (food that boosts your sex drive). This is shown in a 2005 study, which suggests nutmeg oil stimulates certain parts of the nervous system responsible for increased libido.
6. Makes Your Skin Glow
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The soothing effects of nutmeg oil may ease acne, calm redness, and balance an uneven skin tone for glossy skin. It’s also a natural cleanser and can dissolve makeup, grime, sunscreen and dead skin cells for a fresh complexion.
7. Increases Hair Growth
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Nutmeg effects can protect hair follicles against free radicals and reduce hair loss. The oil contains vital vitamins to nurture the scalp, including vitamin C, which increases collagen production for healthy hair. Nutmeg essential oil also improves blood circulation in the scalp. This encourages oxygen and nutrients to reach the follicles for better hair growth.
8. Balances High Blood Pressure
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High blood pressure is when blood moves through your arteries at a consistently high pace, causing strain on your heart and artery walls. Luckily, the benefits of nutmeg extend to looking after your blood pressure. It reduces swelling in cells, keeping arteries open so that blood circulates at a healthy pace.
9. Lowers Stress
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One of the best nutmeg essential oil benefits is its ability to lower stress. Stress is caused by an imbalance in your nervous system when it goes into fight or flight mode. This triggers the release of a stress hormone called cortisol, which spikes blood pressure. You may struggle with a fast-beating heart, difficulty sleeping, an upset stomach and hot flushes.
Nutmeg contains potassium, magnesium, zinc, and copper, which are mild sedatives. They lower your heart rate and stabilise your nervous system, reducing cortisol and relaxing the body.
10. Eases Menstrual Cramps
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Menstruation (or periods) are often accompanied by cramps in the abdomen, which are caused by the cervix contracting.
A 2018 study massaged a combination of nutmeg, fennel and marjoram onto the abdomen of people experiencing menstrual cramps. The aromatherapy massage turned up positive results. Scientists found that participants felt relief from cramps with oils containing nutmeg compared to the placebo group. They also had positive benefits from inhaling the calming scent.
Ways To Use Nutmeg Oil
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- Diffuser in the bedroom - Diffuse a few drops of nutmeg essential oil in the bedroom to promote a calm sleep.
- Natural cleanser - Dilute nutmeg with a carrier oil (such as argan oil) and smooth over your skin to clear pores.
- Nurture aches and pain - Warm and massage the fragrant oil onto sore joints, tense muscles and your stomach to relieve pain.
- As a scalp treatment - Combine nutmeg oil with a carrier oil. Add a small amount to your scalp and massage it to calm inflammation and strengthen hair follicles
- Use as a hair mask - Mix a small amount of nutmeg oil with argan or coconut oil. Warm the mixture in your palms and smooth over your hair as a deep conditioning, pre-shampoo hair treatment
- Make into a scented spray - Pop a few drops of nutmeg oil into a glass bottle and combine with distilled water. Shake well and spritz around the bedroom to increase libido and induce sleep. Or you can scent the house for a warming, spicey-sweet aroma.
Enhance Your Health and Beauty With Nutmeg Oil
Nutmeg oil is a century-old spice that promotes health and wellness. Use its warming properties as a natural pain reliever for achy joints and menstrual cramps. You can also apply it to your scalp to stimulate hair growth and as a natural facial cleanser. Whatever you decide, we know you’ll enjoy the wonderful nutmeg oil benefits. Shop our premium nutmeg oil today.