Nutmeg vs. Allspice — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Calories

Nutmeg is high in calories, while allspice is a medium-calorie food.

Nutmeg is 2 times higher in calories than allspice.

Nutmeg provides 525 calories per 100g (2.6 calories per serving), and allspice contains 263 calories per 100g (1.3 calories per serving).

However, when added to dishes, these barely change the caloric value of the food.

Minerals

Nutmeg and allspice are rich in minerals and can be a way of adding micronutrients to a dish.

Allspice is 3 times richer in potassium, 4 times richer in calcium, and 2 times richer in calcium, while nutmeg contains 2 times more zinc and 2 times more copper and phosphorus.

Allspice is also richer in selenium, whereas nutmeg is higher in magnesium and lower in sodium.

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

100 g 300 g 0.25 tsp - 0.5g1 tbsp - 7g

Allspice

4

100 g 300 g 0.25 tsp - 0.5g1 tsp - 1.9g1 tbsp - 6g

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+35.6%
Contains more CopperCopper	+85.7%
Contains more ZincZinc	+112.9%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+88.5%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-79.2%

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+259.2%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+198.3%
Contains more IronIron	+132.2%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+68.8%

~equal in Manganese ~2.943mg

Vitamins

Although nutmeg and allspice are packed with vitamins, allspice has an overall higher vitamin content.

Allspice is richer in vitamins A, C, B2, B3, B6. It is 13 times higher in vitamin C and more than 5 times higher in vitamin A than nutmeg.

However, nutmeg is 3 times higher in vitamin B1 and 2 times richer in folate or vitamin B9.

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

3

100 g 300 g 0.25 tsp - 0.5g1 tbsp - 7g

Allspice

5

100 g 300 g 0.25 tsp - 0.5g1 tsp - 1.9g1 tbsp - 6g

Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+242.6%
Contains more FolateFolate	+111.1%
Contains more CholineCholine	+∞%

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+1206.7%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+440%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+10.5%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+120.2%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+31.3%

~equal in Vitamin E ~mg

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin B5 ~mg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin K ~µg

Fats

Nutmeg is 4 times higher in fats than allspice. It contains 0.18g of fats per serving, while the serving size of allspice provides 0.04g.

However, allspice is richer in polyunsaturated fats, while nutmeg is significantly higher in saturated fats.

Both nutmeg and allspice do not contain any amount of cholesterol.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Nutmeg

1

Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 25.94 g

Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 3.22 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.35 g

Allspice

2

Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 2.55 g

Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 0.66 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 2.36 g

Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated fat

+387.9%

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated fat	-90.2%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat	+574.3%

Carbohydrates

Allspice contains more carbs than nutmeg. It has 0.36g per 0.5g serving or 72.1g of carbs per 100g, whereas nutmeg has 0.25g per the same serving size of 49.3g per 100g. This difference is mostly due to net carbs since they contain similar amounts of dietary fiber.

Both nutmeg and allspice are rich in fiber. Allspice is only 0.8g higher in fiber than nutmeg. Allspice is especially richer in soluble fiber.

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 and macelignans (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 cavities and gum infections (6).

Allspice provides antibacterial effects on S. aureus, Salmonella, and E. coli (7). 

These effects are due to eugenol content, which is a chemical that damages bacterial cell walls (5, 7).

Blood Sugar Control and Diabetes

A study shows that high-dose nutmeg extract can reduce blood sugar levels and promote pancreatic function (8).

Allspice and nutmeg contain eugenol that protects pancreatic islets, thus managing blood sugar levels (9).