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.

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

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Nutmeg

5

:

5

Allspice

Contains more Magnesium +35.6%

Contains more Phosphorus +88.5%

Contains less Sodium -79.2%

Contains more Zinc +112.9%

Contains more Copper +85.7%

Contains more Calcium +259.2%

Contains more Iron +132.2%

Contains more Potassium +198.3%

Contains more Selenium +68.8%

Equal in Manganese - 2.943

Nutmeg

Allspice

Contains more Magnesium +35.6%

Contains more Phosphorus +88.5%

Contains less Sodium -79.2%

Contains more Zinc +112.9%

Contains more Copper +85.7%

Contains more Calcium +259.2%

Contains more Iron +132.2%

Contains more Potassium +198.3%

Contains more Selenium +68.8%

Equal in Manganese - 2.943

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

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Nutmeg

4

:

5

Allspice

Contains more Vitamin B1 +242.6%

Contains more Folate +111.1%

Contains more Vitamin A +429.4%

Contains more Vitamin C +1206.7%

Contains more Vitamin B2 +10.5%

Contains more Vitamin B3 +120.2%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +31.3%

Nutmeg

Allspice

Contains more Vitamin B1 +242.6%

Contains more Folate +111.1%

Contains more Vitamin A +429.4%

Contains more Vitamin C +1206.7%

Contains more Vitamin B2 +10.5%

Contains more Vitamin B3 +120.2%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +31.3%

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

1. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171326/nutrients
2. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171315/nutrients
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493173/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6530202/
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5222521/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3434417/
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31063201/
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32831835/