Il macis è also known as nutmeg flower or mace. In practice, it is a spice obtained from the outer part of the seed of the fruit of the Myristica fragrans plant.
The mace belongs to the mirtaceae family and this plant is native to Indonesia and grows very well in all tropical climates in Sri Lanka, China, India and the Philippines.
In oriental cuisine and in particular in Indian cuisine, the mace is very famous it is mainly used in traditional recipes and we cannot remember the famous spice mix called curry.
Mace is therefore the spice that is obtained from the outer part of the seed of the mace plant and it has a bright red color when it is just picked, while after drying it becomes orange.
Mace is an evergreen tree that grows over 20 meters in height and has oval leaves dark green with dark gray bark.
Flowering occurs in trees that are over 15 years of age and the flowers are yellow which then give rise to the fruit which inside contains the outer part of the seed which is used as a spice. The taste of mace is delicate and its aroma is sweet and intense.
Composition of the mace
The mace being dried contains little water around 8% and then has a good part of starches 38%, proteins 6%, 26% lipids including essential fatty acids and a lot of fiber over 20%.
In addition, mace contains many mineral salts including calcium, iron, potassium, sodium, magnesium, manganese, selenium, phosphorus, copper and zinc.. This makes it an excellent natural supplement of natural salts.
The mace also has a good one reserve of vitamins and in particular it is rich in vitamins A, C, E and many of the B group (B1, B2, B6).
In addition to nutrients mace also contains many active ingredients such as phenols and essential oils such as myristicin, safrole, pinene and sabinene.
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Benefits for the nervous system
Mace has been used in traditional oriental medicine since ancient times especially in Chinese medicine and Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Its main use is aimed at helping in the problems of the nervous system, also having efficacy against depression and anxiety of stress-inducing origin.
In fact, mace is a relaxant of the nervous system and it is used precisely to rebalance the mood when we feel tired, stressed and our mind begins to give us thoughts that throw us down towards depression or states of worry and anxiety.
Within the phytocomplex of the mace there are also substances such as elimycin and myristicin which act as stimulants of the brain thus helping the total rebalancing of our organism. Mace is excellent against mental fatigue as well as to combat stress at a more general level.
Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of mace
Mace contains substances such as eugenol which have an active effect on the cascade reactions of inflammation in fact they act by inhibiting the synthesis of prostaglandins and therefore have an effect on the mediators of inflammation and pain.
The anti-inflammatory properties of mace they are also indicated in the treatment of pains such as arthritis and rheumatism as well as for other types of pain that is localized.
Headaches can also be treated naturally with mace as well as toothache always thanks to the calming action of pain by eugenol. Mace is even included in some natural toothpaste recipes with an excellent action for the health of the teeth and the treatment of halitosis.
The essential oil extracted from mace is also indicated for the treatment of joint pain and muscular thanks to its sedative and analgesic properties.
Mace: Helps the heart, eyes, lungs and stomach
Mace is also active thanks to its nutrients such as the presence of potassium which is an essential mineral salt for controlling blood pressure and heart rhythm.
Furthermore, the presence of beta-carotene in the phytocomplex gives it a strong antioxidant action that counteracts cellular aging by free radicals.
IBeta-carotene is the precursor of vitamin A which is then used to establish good eye health as well as skin.
The use of essential oil also finds space in the formulations for cough syrups and respiratory problems. Even in the case of a cold, the use of mace is indicated as it is also a natural antiseptic, an antibacterial and even an antifungal.
In ancient herbal medicine, mace was also used in the treatment of asthma.
Finally mace is an excellent spice to aid digestion and avoiding intestinal gas thanks to its carminative action can be a valuable remedy for flatulence and abdominal swelling.
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