Nutmeg, the walnut-sized seed of an Indonesian evergreen tree, has a distinctive, aromatic and slightly sweet flavor that is used as a culinary spice for meats and vegetables and is also added to fruit dishes and baked goods. Historically, Egyptians used nutmeg for embalming and Italians employed it as a cure for plague. Indian herbal medicine uses nutmeg seed oil as an intestinal remedy, while other herbal traditions use nutmeg as an aphrodisiac and pain reliever.