Cinnamon vs. Nutmeg — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Calories

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

It is important to note that we do not consume nutmeg and cinnamon in high amounts, so they will not have an impact on our daily calorie intake. 

Nutmeg is almost two times higher in calories than Cinnamon.

Nutmeg provides 525 calories per 100g, and Cinnamon contains 247 calories per the same amount.

Minerals

Nutmeg is higher in magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and copper. Nutmeg contains three times more magnesium than Cinnamon. Cinnamon is higher in calcium, iron, and potassium.

You can check the mineral comparison chart below.

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.

Cinnamon

6

Nutmeg

4

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+444.6%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+23.1%
Contains more IronIron	+173.7%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-37.5%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+502.3%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+93.8%

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+205%
Contains more CopperCopper	+202.9%
Contains more ZincZinc	+17.5%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+232.8%

Vitamins

Although Nutmeg and Cinnamon are packed with vitamins, Cinnamon is relatively richer in vitamins. Cinnamon is richer in vitamins A, C, E, and K. It is approximately three times higher in vitamin A than Nutmeg.

Nutmeg is higher in vitamins B1, B2, 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.

Cinnamon

6

Nutmeg

3

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+26.7%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+200%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+∞%
Contains more CholineCholine	+25%

Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+1472.7%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+39%
Contains more FolateFolate	+1166.7%

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin B3 ~1.299mg

~equal in Vitamin B6 ~0.16mg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

Fats

Nutmeg is higher in fats than Cinnamon. It contains 36.3g of fats per 100g, while the same serving of Cinnamon provides 1.2g. However, no one eats 100g of nutmeg. 

Cinnamon is significantly lower in saturated fats. Nutmeg is also higher in mono/polyunsaturated fats.

Carbs

Cinnamon contains more carbs than Nutmeg. It has 80.6g of carbs per 100g, while Nutmeg has only 49.3g per 100g.

Health impact

Cardiovascular health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan

Cinnamon and nutmeg both help to reduce the risk of heart disease. 

Cinnamon has been demonstrated to lower LDL (“bad” cholesterol), the main cause of atherosclerosis, and assist in managing blood pressure (3,4).

Animal studies have shown that nutmeg can lower heart disease risk factors due to reducing total cholesterol levels in the blood. However, more research is required to corroborate these findings in humans (5).

Additionally, both include antioxidants that help counteract oxidative stress, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Anti-inflammatory effects

Inflammation is linked to several health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis (6).

Cinnamon reduces inflammation by containing cinnamaldehyde (7).

Nutmeg contains anti-inflammatory chemicals called monoterpenes (8). However, more studies are needed to confirm the anti-inflammatory effects of Nutmeg in humans.

Blood sugar control

A study shows that high-dose nutmeg extract can reduce blood sugar levels and promote pancreatic function (9).

Cinnamon is famous for its anti-diabetic properties. It slows the digestion of carbohydrates in the intestine by inhibiting the enzymes responsible for that function (10) (11). Cinnamon contains a chemical called hydroxychalcone, which mimics insulin in our organism (11) (12). Cinnamon is linked with higher insulin sensitivity (13).