Nutmeg vs. Allspice — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison


Summary
Nutmeg is richer in vitamin B1, magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus. Allspice is higher in vitamin A, calcium, and potassium. Allspice provides 13 times more vitamin C than Nutmeg. Allspice is lower in saturated fats.
Table of contents
Introduction
In this article, we will be comparing Nutmeg (1) and Allspice (2), focusing on their nutritional composition and health impact.
Actual differences
Allspice is the dried, unripe berry of the Pimenta dioica plant that originated from Jamaica, while Nutmeg is the fruit of Myristica fragrans of Indonesian origin. Nutmeg has a simple, pungent, and slightly spicy flavor. Allspice has a more complex aroma: it resembles a mixture of pepper, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon.
Nutrition
Calories
Nutmeg is high in calories, while Allspice is a medium-calorie food.
Nutmeg is two times higher in calories than Allspice.
Nutmeg provides 525 calories per 100g (37 calories per serving), and Allspice contains 263 calories per 100g (16 calories per serving).
Minerals
Nutmeg is relatively richer in minerals than Allspice. It is higher in magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and copper. Nutmeg contains less sodium than Allspice. Allspice is higher in calcium, iron, and potassium.
Mineral Comparison
Vitamins
Although Nutmeg and Allspice are packed with vitamins, Allspice has higher vitamin content than Nutmeg.
Allspice is richer in vitamins A, C, B2, B3, B6. It is more than five times higher in vitamin A and 13 times higher in vitamin C than Nutmeg.
Nutmeg is higher in vitamin B1 and folate.
Vitamin Comparison
Fats
Nutmeg is higher in fats than Allspice. It contains 2.5g of fats per serving, while the serving size of Allspice provides 0.5g.
Nutmeg is significantly lower in saturated fats.
Cholesterol
Both Nutmeg and Allspice do not contain any amount of cholesterol.
Carbs
Allspice contains more carbs than Nutmeg. It has 72.1g of carbs per 100g, whereas Nutmeg has only 49.3g per 100g.
Fiber
Both Nutmeg and Allspice are rich in fiber. However, Allspice is 0.8g higher in fiber than Nutmeg. Allspice is especially richer in soluble fiber.
Health impact
Anti-inflammatory effects
Inflammation is linked to several health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis (3).
Allspice reduces inflammation by inhibiting inflammation markers (4).
Nutmeg contains anti-inflammatory chemicals called monoterpenes (5). However, more studies are needed to confirm the anti-inflammatory effects of Nutmeg and Allspice in humans.
Antibacterial properties
Nutmeg and Allspice show antibacterial effects on potentially harmful bacteria.
Nutmeg extract is effective against Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans Streptococcus mutans, which are known to cause dental cavity and gum infections (6).
Allspice provides antibacterial effects on S. aureus, Salmonella, and E. coli (4). These effects are due to eugenol content, which is a chemical damaging bacterial cell walls (7).
Blood sugar control
A study shows that high-dose nutmeg extract can reduce blood sugar levels and promote pancreatic function (7).
Allspice is used in managing the early stages of type 2 diabetes.
It contains eugenol that protects pancreatic islets, thus managing blood sugar levels (8).
References
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171326/nutrients
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171315/nutrients
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493173/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6530202/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5222521/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3434417/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31063201/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32831835/
Infographic

Macronutrient Comparison
Fat Type Comparison
Comparison summary table
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Lower in Sodium |
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Lower in Glycemic Index |
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Lower in Sugar |
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Lower in Saturated Fat |
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Lower in price |
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Lower in Cholesterol | Equal | ||
Rich in minerals | Equal | ||
Rich in vitamins | Equal |
All nutrients comparison - raw data values
Nutrient | ![]() |
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Opinion |
Net carbs | 28.49g | 50.52g |
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Protein | 5.84g | 6.09g |
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Fats | 36.31g | 8.69g |
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Carbs | 49.29g | 72.12g |
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Calories | 525kcal | 263kcal |
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Sugar | 2.99g |
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Fiber | 20.8g | 21.6g |
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Calcium | 184mg | 661mg |
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Iron | 3.04mg | 7.06mg |
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Magnesium | 183mg | 135mg |
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Phosphorus | 213mg | 113mg |
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Potassium | 350mg | 1044mg |
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Sodium | 16mg | 77mg |
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Zinc | 2.15mg | 1.01mg |
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Copper | 1.027mg | 0.553mg |
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Manganese | 2.9mg | 2.943mg |
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Selenium | 1.6µg | 2.7µg |
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Vitamin A | 102IU | 540IU |
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Vitamin A RAE | 5µg | 27µg |
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Vitamin C | 3mg | 39.2mg |
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Vitamin B1 | 0.346mg | 0.101mg |
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Vitamin B2 | 0.057mg | 0.063mg |
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Vitamin B3 | 1.299mg | 2.86mg |
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Vitamin B6 | 0.16mg | 0.21mg |
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Folate | 76µg | 36µg |
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Saturated Fat | 25.94g | 2.55g |
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Monounsaturated Fat | 3.22g | 0.66g |
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Polyunsaturated fat | 0.35g | 2.36g |
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Which food is preferable for your diet?


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Low Fats diet |
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Low Carbs diet |
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Low Calories diet |
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Low Glycemic Index diet |
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