Nutmeg

Safety Notes

IMPORTANT: Nutmeg contains myristicin, a compound that is genuinely toxic and can cause hallucinations, delirium, rapid heartbeat, and other serious symptoms at doses far beyond normal culinary use — documented toxic reactions have occurred at around 5 grams of ground nutmeg (roughly a full tablespoon), a quantity no one would use in ordinary cooking, where a pinch or a light dusting is typical. Nutmeg has a documented history of use as a folk abortifacient, and this remains a cause of accidental nutmeg poisoning; it should be avoided in anything beyond trace culinary amounts during pregnancy. Nutmeg has also been associated with contact allergy and, rarely, interactions with certain sedative medications when taken in large amounts. Normal culinary seasoning — the amount you'd use to flavor a dish — carries essentially none of this risk; the concern is specifically about large, intentional doses.

This is educational information, not medical advice. See our full Disclaimer before use.