What quantity of nutmeg is generally considered safe for culinary use in healthy adults?
Answer
Quantities usually less than a teaspoon for an entire dish
The differentiation between nutmeg as a culinary spice and a toxic substance hinges entirely on the quantity consumed. When used in typical cooking and baking contexts, such as grating it over creamy sauces or mixing it into baked goods, the amount ingested is generally very small, often totaling less than one teaspoon for a whole dish. In these trace amounts, nutmeg is not associated with adverse side effects in healthy adults. The risk profile changes dramatically only when a person ingests a concentrated dose, which significantly surpasses these low culinary thresholds, highlighting the importance of quantity in determining safety.
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