Differences/Similarities between cinnamon and nutmeg
I read a while ago that nutmeg and cinnamon are really similar and you can easily substitute one for the other. Yet many recipes call for both cinnamon and nutmeg so it seems like there must be some kind of difference.
What are the specific differences between cinnamon and nutmeg? And are they significant enough to justify buying both cinnamon and nutmeg?
Best Answer
Try to remember where you read that. And then don't read them anymore.
If you find your nutmeg and cinnamon tasting at all similar, they've both turned to dust and should be discarded.
And next time, buy whole nutmeg - it tastes much better freshly-grated, and keeps much longer without turning into vaguely-spicy-bitter dust.
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Are cinnamon and nutmeg from the same tree?
2 Answers found. Nutmeg and mace are obtained from the plant, nutmeg tree (botanical name \u2013 Myristica fragrans houtt) but the cinnamon is getting from different plant called a cinnamon tree (botanical name \u2013 Cinnamomum zeylanicum). These trees are grown in different parts of India, mainly in Kerala.Which is better for you nutmeg or cinnamon?
Nutmeg has more Copper, Magnesium, Vitamin B1, and Phosphorus, however Cinnamon is higher in Manganese, Fiber, Calcium, Iron, and Vitamin K. Cinnamon covers your daily Manganese needs 633% more than Nutmeg. Cinnamon contains 75 times less Saturated Fat than Nutmeg.What spice is similar to nutmeg?
Allspice is commonly found in kitchen pantries, making it a convenient alternative to nutmeg. You can replace nutmeg with an equal amount of allspice in your recipes. Allspice is made of ground berries from the Pimenta dioica tree. Its flavor is similar to that of nutmeg and can be replaced at a 1:1 ratio.Does cinnamon use nutmeg?
Jump Into The Core \u2013 Nutmeg And Cinnamon ComparisonFeaturesNutmegPopularityLess popular than cinnamonPriceMore expensive than cinnamonCulinary UsesBest for savory dishes, and go well with dessertsSubstitutesMace, pumpkin pie spice, garam masala, ground cinnamon, ginger, allspice, or ground cloves11 more rows•Apr 27, 2022Ceylon Cinnamon vs Cassia - Difference Between Ceylon Cinnamon and Cassia Cinnamon
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Answer 2
They're completely different.
Cinnamon is warm, woody, hot, sweet, spicy, bark. Nutmeg is eggnog. If you want something to taste like Christmas, use it.
They're both delicious, versatile, and can work well together.
By volume, you can use much more cinnamon than nutmeg. Nutmeg is "a dash of" kind of spice, while cinnamon can be mixed with butter or sugar and slathered on basically any pastry. (Equivalent amounts of nutmeg would probably get you stoned, but that's for another forum).
Also, nutmeg shares flavor notes and aroma with allspice and cloves.
Answer 3
Cinnamon is from the bark of a tree, and nutmeg is a seed. Cinnamon is the "hot" flavor in a lot of candies, e.g. "Hot Tamales", as well as being used in apple pie and cinnamon rolls. Nutmeg is more subtle, often used with other spices, sometimes including cinnamon. Beyond this, let your taste buds decide.
And yes, it's worth it to buy both spices if your recipes call for them.
Answer 4
For once, "substitute one for the other" would imply "in equal amounts" ... which would be an obviously nonsensical and unsafe substitution - if you would sub in an equal amount of ground nutmeg for the amount of cinnamon in a cinnamon-heavy recipe, you would make it a) inedible to most - that would be an insanely intense nutmeg flavor, and b) poisonous if consumed in quantity (a tbsp of ceylon (see below) cinnamon to a dish would be just a tad strong, a tbsp of ground nutmeg would likely make you sick from toxicity.
BTW, If you plan on using cinnamon in large amounts, get something labelled ceylon cinnamon; the commonly sold ground cinnamon is actually ground cassia, which tastes a bit more intense but can, just like nutmeg, become unsafe (has far higher levels of coumarin, a substance that is found in woodruff too and is used to make ... rat poison!) from when using a lot of it.
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