Common Names
Allspice, Pimento, Jamaica Pepper
Botanical Name
Pimenta officinalis
Family
Myrtaceae
Medicinal Uses
Aromatherapy, Christmas, Culinary/Kitchen, South_American, Thanksgiving Harvest.
Properties
Analgesic, Antioxidant, Aromatic, Calm, Digestive, Mood, Muscle Relaxant, Stress, Warm.
Parts Used
Dried fruits.
Constituents
Essential oil: eugenol, eugenol methyl ether, myrcene, 1,8-cineol, and alpha-phellandrene.
Habitat
It can be grown outdoors in the tropics and subtropics, a houseplant in other regions. Can grow in full sun, but in the first few years of the plant's life, partial shade is recommended. Allspice is indigenous to the West Indian Islands and South America, and extensively grown in Jamaica, where it flourishes best on limestone hills near the sea.
Side Effects
Null
How to Prepare
1. Allspice berries can be ground in a peppercorn grinder or mortar and pestle, or used whole in recipes. Substitute 6 whole allspice berries for 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. of ground allspice; remove berries before serving.
2. Allspice is also available as an essential oil that can be used aromatically or topically. Allspice oil should not be ingested and it should not be used undiluted on skin or around mucous membranes.
