|
Arabic
Bengali
Chinese
English
French
German
Hebrew
Hindi
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Malay
Polish
Portuguese
Spanish
Turkish
Ukrainian
Vietnamese|
CULTURAL AND WILD PLANTS
Muscat fragrant. Legends, myths, symbolism, description, cultivation, methods of application
Directory / Cultivated and wild plants Content
Fragrant nutmeg, Myristica fragrans. Photos of the plant, basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism
Basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism Sort by: Myristica (Muskatnik) Family: Myristicaceae (Myrtle) Origin: Sweet Muscat (Myristica fragrans) comes from Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Area: The fragrant nutmeg is grown in tropical and subtropical regions of Southeast Asia, Africa, Central and South America. Chemical composition: Nutmeg contains essential oil, which consists mainly of myristic and eleostearic acids, myristic alcohol and terpene compounds such as pinene, camphene and sabinene. Economic value: Nutmeg is used in cooking to add flavor and flavor to a variety of dishes, drinks, and baked goods. In addition, it is used in perfumery and cosmetics due to its aromatic properties. Myrtle oil, obtained from the sweet nutmeg, is prescribed in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases, such as diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, insomnia, headaches and depression. Legends, myths, symbolism: In ancient China, nutmeg was considered a symbol of wealth, luxury and longevity. In India, this plant was associated with the god Shiva and was considered sacred. In Europe, fragrant nutmeg has long been a luxury product and a symbol of high society. In the mythology of the Indonesian islands, where fragrant nutmeg is a local plant, magical properties and abilities were attributed to it. It was believed that the nutmeg has the power to remove negative energy and ward off evil from a house or person. In addition, in folk medicine, fragrant nutmeg was used as a tonic and circulatory stimulant. In general, nutmeg is associated with wealth, luxury, sacredness, and magic, and has medicinal properties as well.
Fragrant nutmeg, Myristica fragrans. Description, illustrations of the plant Nutmeg (nutmeg fragrant), Myristica fragrans. Botanical description, history of origin, nutritional value, cultivation, use in cooking, medicine, industry
Evergreen tree up to 20 m high, with a large pyramidal crown. The leaves are fragrant, dark green. The flowers are small, fleshy, fragrant, pale yellow. The fruit is a golden yellow drupe. The Moluccas are considered to be the birthplace of the nutmeg tree. This ancient culture of Southeast Asia became known in Europe from the XNUMXth century thanks to the Arabs. In the XNUMXth century, the Dutch conquered the Moluccas and imposed a ban on the export of nut seeds so as not to lose their monopoly on the trade in this valuable commodity. However, they did not succeed, and in the XNUMXth century the culture of nutmeg spread far beyond the borders of his homeland. Currently, nutmeg is cultivated in the tropics of both hemispheres. Ready-made spices - nutmeg and nutmeg (macis). The fruits of the nutmeg tree, when fully ripe, burst and expose the seed, covered with a thin, but rather fleshy film of bright red color - the seed and, in addition, a woody, but thin dark brown shell (shell). Removed from the seed, smoothed into a plate and dried, the seed is called nutmeg (macis); it has a strong aroma and pungent taste. Nutmeg is obtained after an even more complex and lengthy seed treatment. The bones freed from the pericarp and seedling are dried over a charcoal fire for 40-50 days, until they turn brown. The nuts are then cracked and the kernels are placed for a few minutes in sea water with milk of lime and then dried in the shade for three weeks. The thin white shell of lime protects the nutmeg from mold and insects. The nutmeg production process sometimes takes four months or more. Nutmeg and mace are different spices. Sometimes they complement and enrich each other, but more often they are used separately. The fact is that the chemical composition of the substances in these products is different. Nutmeg contains a lot of essential and fatty oils, starch. There is no fatty oil and starch in the mace, and the essential oil has a completely different composition and smell. For therapeutic purposes, essential oil of nutmeg is used as a stimulant and tonic. A decoction of the fruit is used for gastrointestinal colic, diarrhea. Fatty oil is used in the medical and perfume industries. As a spice, nutmeg has a wider scope. most often it is added to sweet dishes (jam, compote, mousse, curd paste pudding) and confectionery. Nutmeg enriches the taste of minced meat and fish in combination with vegetables, mushrooms, dough. In Western European countries, it is used very widely; not a single dish of fish, game, vegetables, mushrooms, etc. can do without it. Muscat color is also used in all these cases, especially when preparing various sauces for meat and fish. Together with nutmeg, it ennobles drinks and cocktails; use them to improve the taste of juices, such as tomato, milk drinks, ice cream and whipped cream. Authors: Kretsu L.G., Domashenko L.G., Sokolov M.D.
Nutmeg, Myristica fragrans Houit. Botanical description, distribution, chemical composition, features of use
Caseiicreo nutmeg - Myristicaccae. Evergreen tree 10-15 m high with dark green leaves and white flowers. Leaves below are white or gray-gray, alternate, entire, leathery, pinnate-nervous, devoid of stipules. Yellowish-white, usually dioecious, rarely monoecious, cyclic flowers are collected in primroses or lateral flowers located in the axils of the leaves; whisk is missing. The fruit is yellow, similar to a peach, with one seed, in a hard skin. The seed has a strong aroma and a pungent, spicy taste. Contains up to 40% oil and a substance with sedative properties (myristicin). "Nutmeg" and "nutmeg color" are used in cooking and perfumery. Cultivated in South and Southeast Asia, South America, East Africa and Madagascar. Homeland - Moluccas. The seed kernel (nutmeg) contains at least 3% essential oil of complex composition (includes pinene, geraniol, eugenol, dipentene, linalool, etc.), about 40% dense fatty oil, consisting mainly of myristic acid triglycerides, as well as starch ( about 20%), pigments, saponins, pectin substances. Seedling (muscat color) contains at least 4,5% essential, 2 fatty oils and 30% amylodextrin. The aroma is weak, the taste is weak at first, thin, later spicy, spicy. Nutmeg and nutmeg are used to flavor alcoholic beverages, cocktails, as a spice in the manufacture of sweet dishes, cocoa, compotes, jams. Sometimes nutmeg is added to soups, pates, tomato sauce, fresh vegetables, meat broths, rice dishes, vegetables, fish, meat, poultry. The use of nutmeg and nutmeg as spices helps to increase appetite. Pressing the seeds produces a dense fragrant orange balm, consisting of fatty and essential oils and pigments. Balm is used in ointments and rubbing as a distraction that irritates the skin. Authors: Dudchenko L.G., Kozyakov A.S., Krivenko V.V.
Muscat tree, Myristica fragrans. Methods of application, origin of the plant, range, botanical description, cultivation
Seeds (nutmeg) and seed (arillus) - "nutmeg color" are used as spices. The seeds contain an essential oil (5-15%), which includes terpenes (up to 80%), terpene alcohols (4-15%) - linalool, borneol, geraniol, as well as myristicin, safrole, etc. The seed kernel contains fatty oil (25-40%), consisting of triglycerides of myristic acid. A poisonous narcotic substance, related to phenylpropane derivatives, was found in the fat. Muscat color contains an average of 7,5% essential and 22,5% fatty oils. Nutmeg and nutmeg are poisonous, they are used in small quantities in sweet dishes, confectionery, the canning industry, to flavor vegetables and mustards. The essential oil extracted from the seeds is used to make liqueurs, chocolate, various confectionery products, perfumes and cosmetics. The Moluccas and the islands of the Banda Sea are considered the center of origin of the nutmeg. In culture, it is grown in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Grenada. In Africa - on the islands of Mauritius, Reunion, Madagascar, Zanzibar and in some countries of the western part of the continent. The main exporters of nutmeg products in recent years are: Indonesia - 6561 tons of nuts and 1061 tons of "colors", Grenada - 2517 and 243 tons, respectively, Sri Lanka - 286 tons of nuts.
Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt), the Muscat family (Myristicaceae) is an evergreen tree up to 15 m tall, in cultivation no more than 6-9 m. The crown is cone-shaped. The leaves are entire, leathery, lanceolate or ovoid, on short petioles. The flowers are dioecious, small, fragrant, located on different trees (dioecious plants). Corolla pale yellow. Pollination is entomophilous. The fruit is greenish-yellow in color, 4-6 cm long, resembles a peach in appearance, splits into 2 parts when ripe. The fruit pulp is massive, with a sour taste. The fruit contains a large seed, protected by a hard shell and covered with a fleshy seedling. Dried seedlings are flattened, fragrant, fragile, orange-yellow in color. Seeds without seed coat are brownish-gray, their surface is wrinkled, reticulate, up to 3 cm long, 2 cm wide, weighing about 5 g. Nutmeg is a tropical plant of the equatorial belt. The most favorable areas for it are areas with a uniform humid and warm climate. The optimum average annual air temperature is 20-22 °C. The annual amount of precipitation is 2000-2500 mm with a relatively even distribution over the months. Altitude limit - up to 600 m above sea level. seas. Loamy soils are considered the best. The nutmeg tree is propagated by seeds from the most productive trees. Seedlings are grown in special nurseries, and then, after careful culling, they are planted in a permanent place. From 1 to 125 trees are placed per 280 ha. Plantation maintenance is about soil erosion control. Fertilizers are practically not applied under this tree. Fruiting of the nutmeg tree begins at the age of 5-6 years. Full productivity occurs at the age of 17-22 and lasts up to 40 years. Fruit harvesting begins at the beginning of their cracking. The fruit pulp is removed, and then the seedling is carefully separated. After that, it is dried in the sun and smoothed with special boards. After removing the aryllus, the seeds are subjected to fire drying, split and the kernel is removed. The nuts are then carefully sorted and mixed with powdered lime or placed in milk of lime and dried. It takes 5-6 weeks to fully process and dry nutmeg. The yield of an adult tree is from 3 to 10 thousand nuts per year. World production of nutmeg has exceeded consumption in recent years, causing stockpiling and keeping prices low. Authors: Baranov V.D., Ustimenko G.V.
Nutmeg and nutmeg. reference Information
A spice from the fruits of the fragrant nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) - an evergreen tree of the muscat family, 9-12 m high, with leathery leaves and light yellow fragrant flowers. The fruit is 6-9 cm long, yellow, reminiscent of a peach in color, with a fleshy pericarp, contains a large seed, equipped with a branched, reddish, fleshy seed (aryllus). When dried, the color of the seedling becomes orange. Thus, two types of spices are obtained from the nutmeg fruit at once: nutmeg (seed) and nutmeg (dried seed). The Moluccas are the birthplace of the fragrant nutmeg. It is currently cultivated in the tropics of both hemispheres. Fragrant Muskatnik is a dioecious plant. For every 20 fruiting female trees, one male tree is planted. Muskatnik blossoms and bears fruit throughout the year, during which time one tree can produce up to 2000 fruits. They are usually collected in small baskets attached to a long bamboo pole. Muskatnik came to Europe only in the VI century. thanks to the Arab navigators, who were able not only to safely cross the Arabian Sea, but also had trade relations in India and the Far East. In those days, the price of nutmeg reached dizzying proportions and remained at this level until the XNUMXth century, when, through the work of the English botanist Christopher Smith, who worked in the West India Company, fragrant nutmeg began to be bred not only on the "Spice Islands, but also in other places in the tropical zone. In the Middle Ages, nutmeg was valued as a spice, which was added not only to food and beer, but also used to prepare medicines that strengthen the stomach. Nowadays, the nut is used to give a piquant taste to vegetables, salads, soups, put in dough and sweets; and nutmeg color - in meat soups, smoked meats, vegetables, introduce it into the composition of some spicy mixtures. The preparation of nutmeg and nutmeg is produced as follows: they try to remove the nutmeg intact by squeezing the nut out of it. The removed color is dried on bamboo or coconut mats directly in sunlight. The first sign of drying is the loss of juiciness, elasticity and color by the flower. In this state, it is given a flat appearance with wooden "irons" so that later, when it is completely dry and brittle, it would be more convenient to pack it. Ready benign matis (dry nutmeg color) - hard, very fragile, slightly translucent, like a horny plate 3-4 x 2-3 cm in size and 1 mm thick, from light orange to dark yellow. The extracted nutmeg seed - nutmeg - is dried in special dryers, which are light bamboo buildings with a roof slightly covered with palm branches, where a small smokeless fire is lit under tall bamboo goats. Nutmeg seeds are placed on goats in bamboo sieves. The fire is maintained around the clock for a month and a half, or even 2-3 months with periodic tedding of seeds. When the nuts dry out and their shell begins to lag behind the kernel, it is broken with wooden mallets. Peel the kernels of the nuts. The kernels freed from the shell are placed for several minutes in lime milk (a mixture of sea water and lime from calcareous corals) and thoroughly mixed in it. After that, they are dried again for up to 3 weeks. The main supplier of both types of spices are Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India. There are two main varieties of nutmeg on sale: sized East Indian and unsorted West Indian. Moreover, nutmeg is valued more than nutmeg. Authors: Yurchenko L.A., Vasilkevich S.I.
Muscat tree. Interesting plant facts
An evergreen tropical tree with leathery, simple leaves. Homeland - the islands of the Malay Archipelago. Cultivated there and in the Antilles. Yellowish flowers are collected in the axils of the leaves in small inflorescences. The fruit is a fleshy ovoid-spherical berry of orange-yellow color, 4-6 cm long, with a dense peel; when ripe, the skin and pulp of the fruit are split in two by an annular vertical crack, and a dark brown seed is found inside, partially covered by a bright red juicy seed. Seed is removed separately, it closes the seed at the base in the form of a glass and splits into lobes towards the top. The dried seedling is flattened, fragile, reddish-yellow, fragrant, goes on sale under the name of a nutmeg flower. The seed, covered with a woody peel, is subjected to fire drying, the peel is beaten off, the seed kernel is placed for a short time in milk of lime to destroy the ability to germinate and be damaged by insects, and dried in air. The fragrant kernels prepared in this way are commercially known under the name of nutmeg. They are oval in shape, about 3 cm long and 2 cm thick, with a wrinkled surface, gray-brown.
The seed kernel contains at least 5% essential oil of complex composition, about 40% dense fatty oil, consisting mainly of myristic acid triglycerides; there is starch (about 20%), pigments, saponins, pectin and other substances. By pressing the seeds, a dense fragrant orange balm is obtained, consisting of fatty and essential oils and pigments. Muscat color contains at least 4,5% essential, 20-fat oil and 30% amylodextrin. Apply nutmeg and nutmeg as spices to increase appetite. Balm is used in ointments and rubbing as a skin irritant. Authors: Dudnichenko L.G., Krivenko V.V.
Muscat fragrant. Useful information
Fruits and seeds. November is the time of harvesting the fruits of the fragrant nutmeg Myristica fragrans. This is an evergreen tropical tree with a height of 10-15 m, no more. The name Myristica comes from the Greek word which means "scented resin". The plant is indeed fragrant: small yellowish flowers smell pleasantly, and the fruit is an apricot-colored fleshy drupe the size of a chicken egg. When the fruit ripens, its juicy shell bursts, diverges into two halves and exposes a dark seed covered with a bright red film - the seed. In Latin, this film is called "arillus". Its main task is to attract birds that ingest the seeds and thus spread them. Indeed, the yellow fruits and bright aryllus, through which the dark seed shines through, are clearly visible against the background of green foliage. The shell of the fruit is juicy, more than a centimeter thick, sour in taste, the locals use it for food. But the main value is the seed and aryllus - nutmeg and nutmeg, world-famous spices. As often happens, the names do not reflect their botanical essence at all, because nutmeg is not a nut at all, but a drupe seed covered with a dense peel, while nutmeg has nothing to do with flowers. Historical geography of nutmeg. The birthplace of the fragrant nutmeg is the Moluccas in Indonesia. It is still found there in the wild. Some researchers even call a very specific island - Bandu. In Europe, these spices have been known since the XNUMXth century. Arab sailors brought them to Basra and sold them there for big money to Venetian merchants. Until the beginning of the XNUMXth century, Europeans could not find the source of these spices, but then the Portuguese and then the Dutch captured the Moluccas. They made incredible efforts to ensure that fragrant nutmeg grows only on Banda plantations, but to no avail: its seeds are swallowed and spread by birds, mainly wild pigeons. After the Napoleonic Wars, the British briefly gained control of the Moluccas and took seedlings to Ceylon, Penang (Malaysia), Benkulen in West Sumatra, and Singapore. From there they traveled to other tropical regions, mainly to Zanzibar and Grenada, whose flag bears a stylized image of an open nutmeg fruit. How spices are obtained. First of all, it is necessary to separate the nutmeg color (it is also called mace) and nutmeg. Macis is valued bright and whole, so the seed is carefully squeezed out of the shell so as not to damage it. The fresh nutmeg color is red thanks to the pigment lycopene, which also colors tomatoes and watermelons. When the shell is dried in the sun, it becomes lethargic and orange. Then it is given a rectangular shape and continues to dry. The finished mace is thin and very brittle, light orange or dark yellow. It is believed that the best nutmeg color is obtained in Penang. Drying of nutmeg takes two to three days, the nut is processed for at least one and a half months in special dryers over a small fire. Dried nuts are freed from the shell, and the kernels are soaked in a lime solution to protect against mold and pests, and dried again. What does nutmeg smell like? Nutmeg contains about 10% essential oil, consisting mainly of terpene carbohydrates, the main of which is myrcene, terpene derivatives and phenylpropanes (myristicin, elemicin and safflower). Muscat-colored oil contains the same aromatic components, but in slightly different proportions, so the taste and smell of these spices are different. The main component of essential oils is myristicin (4-6%). This is a toxic substance, it inhibits the enzyme monoamine oxidase, which breaks down the neurotransmitters of the central nervous system - norepinephrine, epinephrine, serotonin and dopamine - in the synaptic cleft. Therefore, in large doses, significantly exceeding culinary ones, fresh nutmeg causes cramps, palpitations, nausea, dehydration, and pain throughout the body. In addition, myristicin is a precursor of 3-methoxy-4,5-methylenedioxyamphetamine, while elemicin and safrole are precursors of 3,4,5trimethoxyamphetamine and 3,4methylenedioxyamphetamine. All these are psychotropic, psychedelic drugs. For this reason, nutmeg is not imported to Saudi Arabia, where it can only be tasted as part of a spice mixture. Myristicin acts on the nervous system of some domestic animals, especially dogs, and in doses that are safe for humans. Therefore, do not give them treats flavored with nutmeg, such as eggnog, from your table. Unfortunately, the spicy nutmeg aroma attracts animals, they can steal something themselves.
In defense of nutmeg, myristicin is also found in other plants: dill, celery, parsley, and black pepper. How are nutmeg spices used? Since nutmeg and mace differ in taste and smell, they are two different spices and are used in different ways. Because of its bright color, mace is added to savory dishes, marinades, and ketchups, as well as soups, sauces, pastries, and rice pudding. Nutmeg is slightly sweeter than nutmeg and has a more delicate taste. It is crushed or rubbed on a grater and, often in combination with mace, it is flavored with meat, potato, mushroom and fish dishes, confectionery from dough and sweets. In Holland, nutmeg can even be added to cabbages and beans. It is also used to flavor warmed cider, mulled wine, and eggnog. At the end of the XNUMXth century, punch became popular in Europe, it was supposed to be prepared with nutmeg. It was customary for gentlemen to carry a walnut and a special grater in case of a friendly feast. Under the lid, she had a horizontal grater, and the chopped spice fell to the bottom. Needless to say, these little things were distinguished by great elegance. And in India, ground nutmeg is smoked. Muscat oils. A good nutmeg should be whole. Grinding it before use is up to the cook. Essential and fatty oils are obtained from damaged nuts. The essential oil is used in perfumery and the pharmaceutical industry, as well as for flavoring baked goods and confectionery. Fatty oil also has a taste and smell of nutmeg. A significant part of it is triglyceride trimyristin, which, when cleaved, forms fatty myristic acid. It is used in the cosmetics industry as a substitute for cocoa butter and mixed with other fats such as cottonseed or palm oil. Myristic acid has a beneficial effect on the skin and hair. Healing properties of nutmeg. Nutmeg has long been considered a healing agent. In the Middle Ages, Europeans believed that it helped against the plague, so during epidemics its value increased dramatically. Modern science has proven the pharmacological value of nutmeg. Its essential oil inhibits the vital activity of several types of bacilli, E. coli, pathogenic staphylococci, shigella (causative agents of dysentery), baker's yeast and some other microorganisms. Muscat oil fights Staphylococcus aureus and candida. Nutmeg contains dehydrodiisoeugenol, which helps prevent cavities caused by the bacteria Streptococcus mutans. The oil also slows down platelet aggregation, has an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect and a hepatoprotective effect. Sour fleshy shell. No matter how good nutmeg is, let's not forget about its shell. It contains fats, phosphorus and iron, carotene and pectin - a jelly-forming substance. Locals make marinades, jams and jellies from it. In Indonesia, in the homeland of the nutmeg, sweets are prepared from fresh or dried fruits. In Penang, they make a fresh juice with a sharp aftertaste, greenish or white. If the juice is boiled, it becomes sweeter and turns brown. What will replace nutmeg? One tree of fragrant nutmeg gives an average of 2000 fruits per year, from which 8 kg of nutmeg and 1,6 kg of nutmeg are obtained. If the spice is expensive, there will always be those who want to replace it with something or fake it. Nutmeg is no exception, since there are such opportunities. As an ersatz, the Papuan nutmeg M. argentea, growing in New Guinea, and M. malabarica from South India are used. In tropical Africa, the nutmeg monodora (Monodora myristica), or Jamaican nutmeg, grows. It has large leaves and large fragrant flowers. The monodora fruit is similar to a pumpkin, and the numerous seeds immersed in its juicy pulp resemble nutmeg in taste and aroma. They are used as a spice. The simplest dish with exotic spices. Melt 15 g butter in a large frying pan, add 250 g chopped cabbage and a tablespoon of water. Season with a little salt, close the lid, and cook over medium heat for three to four minutes, turning over until the cabbage is tender. Then it must be seasoned with freshly grated nutmeg, salt and black pepper and immediately served. Author: Ruchkina N.
Fragrant nutmeg, Myristica fragrans. Recipes for use in traditional medicine and cosmetology
Ethnoscience:
Cosmetology:
Attention! Before use, consult with a specialist!
Fragrant nutmeg, Myristica fragrans. Tips for growing, harvesting and storing
Sweet nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) is a shrub that produces spices such as nutmeg and mace. Tips for growing, harvesting and storing fragrant nutmeg: Cultivation:
Workpiece:
Storage:
▪ Mallow forest (mallow forest) ▪ Play the game "Guess the plant from the picture"
Energy from space for Starship
08.05.2024 New method for creating powerful batteries
08.05.2024 Alcohol content of warm beer
07.05.2024
▪ How do ants deal with traffic jams? ▪ Nokia camcorder for capturing panoramic video ▪ XNUMXth generation Intel Core processors ▪ 53151A Microwave Frequency and Power Meter
▪ section of the Radio Control website. Article selection ▪ article You ask for songs, I don't have them. Popular expression ▪ article Where did the word swindle come from? Detailed answer ▪ article by Wilhelm Weber. Biography of a scientist
Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews
www.diagram.com.ua |
We recommend interesting articles Section 
See other articles Section 
Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:
All languages of this page