Does Nutmeg Have Nuts?

what is nutmeg

Question: Does nutmeg have nuts?

Answer: Many of us have nutmeg sitting in our cabinet or spice drawer. However, not many of us know the ingredients of this spice. Let’s take a look at what is in nutmeg and determine if it has nuts.

Nutmeg comes from an evergreen tree (Myristica fragans) that is commonly found in Indonesia. The tree produces a yellow fruit which houses a brownish color seed that is surrounded by red web-like layer. The red portion of the seed is the spice mace while the brown inner area of the seed contains nutmeg. Check out the video below to see a visual of the tree, fruit, and seed.

Nutmeg is made by drying out the seed for over a month in the sun. The nutmeg seed is ground down to created the powdery spice you find in grocery stores.

While the word “nut” is in nutmeg, it is not a nut. Nutmeg is derived from a seed and is not considered a tree nut. People that have a tree nut allergy can consume nutmeg. However, it is not out of the question for someone to be allergic to nutmeg. But, in terms of tree nuts, nutmeg is not classified in this category.

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