Cinnamon health benefits are much greater than adding it as a sweet flavor to cakes or cup of coffee. Until recently I never really understood how this ancient of all spices could have such an impact on our health.
Cinnamon has been used for centuries and is the oldest spice known to man. The Egyptians regarded it as more precious than gold and used it as a healing medicine, in cooking and also as an embalming agent.
In medieval Europe its huge popularity and demand, meant that cinnamon became one of the very first commodities to be traded regularly between Europe and the Near East.
Today, cinnamon is used in a variety of ways including in the production of wines, beverages, perfumes, candles and of course, as a spice in many foods.
What is Cinnamon?
Cinnamon comes from the bark of an evergreen tree grown primarily in South East Asia and Sri Lanka. The essential oil contained within the bark (called cinnamonaldehyde) is what gives cinnamon its characteristic aroma and flavor.
The bark is stripped from the tree, dried and rolled into tubular rolls known as ‘quills’ or cinnamon sticks. It is also ground down into powder form and sold as either powder or sticks.
Although there are arguably hundreds of varieties of cinnamon trees, there are just 2 types of cinnamon that are primarily consumed throughout the world: Ceylon cinnamon and Cassia cinnamon.
Ceylon cinnamon is grown in Sri Lanka and is referred to as ‘true cinnamon’. It is the highest grade of cinnamon and indigenous to Sri Lanka. In fact the Latin name cinnamomum zeylanicum is derived from the former name of the island, Ceylon. Naturally it also commands a higher price.
Cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia) is grown throughout Southeast Asia from the closely related Cassia tree. It is considered slightly inferior in taste to Ceylon cinnamon. It is a darker, reddish-brown color, with a stronger, bittersweet taste. Cassia cinnamon is the more popular of the two in North America, and is less expensive.
Cinnamon Health Benefits
The health benefits of cinnamon have been widely underused in recent times due to the heavy reliance on modern drugs.
It is only now that we as a society are becoming more aware of the side effects and lasting damage that many of these drugs are doing to us. Natural health products are gaining popularity in leaps and bounds, and ongoing research is proving how significant they actually are.
Cinnamon Can Help Prevent Heart Disease
Heart disease is one of the biggest killers in western society, mainly due to the high fat diet we consume. This saturated fat causes inflammation in your internal organs and tissues and is a primary cause of heart disease.
Cinnamon health benefits include cinnaldehyde, which helps prevent the release of the body’s inflammatory fatty acid (arachidonic acid) thus preventing irregular inflammation around the artery walls – a major cause of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.
Controlling inflammation and keeping the blood from clotting ensures good circulation and a healthy supply of oxygen to your body’s cells. This further protects against heart disease and maintains high metabolic activity.
The anti-inflammatory qualities of cinnamon are still subject to further tests and studies, but there seems little argument in the medical profession that it does have measurable, anti-inflammatory benefits.
Cinnamon for Arthritis
As well as preventing blood clotting and controlling inflammation around the heart, cinnamon can help lessen muscle and joint pain associated with arthritis due to its prostaglandin inhibiting properties.
Research carried out at Copenhagen University, gave arthritis sufferers half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder and one tablespoon of bee’s honey every day before breakfast. Within a week, patients felt significant relief and within just one month could walk without pain.
Cinnamon for Diabetes
People with Type-2 diabetes and hypoglycemia can benefit from adding cinnamon to their foods. Cinnamon releases specific polyphenols which researchers say may help activate the body’s insulin and transport glucose.
In effect, cinnamon slows down the rate at which the stomach empties after eating and reduces the sudden rise in blood sugar levels.
Rich in Antioxidants
Surprisingly, pound for pound, cinnamon is one of the most antioxidant packed food sources available. Just one teaspoon of cinnamon contains as much antioxidant properties as a half cup of blueberries and a full cup of pomegranate juice.
Antioxidants are essential for the body’s overall health and wellbeing. Needed for healthy skin, muscles and bones, while strengthening the immune system. They protect us from harmful ‘free radicals’ that develop as we use up energy and as we grow older.
Free radical production also occurs through eating a poor diet, stress, excessive exercise, smoking, exposure to too much sun and certain chemicals in the environment. The more we consume natural antioxidants, the less damage free radicals can cause.
Cinnamon Contains Anti-Microbial Properties
Cinnamon’s essential oil is recognized as an antimicrobial, which means it contains anti-bacteria, anti-fungi and anti-parasitic properties.
This can help the body fight common yeast infections such as Candida albicans, the fungus responsible for vaginal yeast infections and thrush (oral yeast infection).
A study in Germany showed how cinnamon completely suppressed the cause of most urinary-tract infections (Escherichia coli bacteria).
Antimicrobial can also help fight and prevent Helicobacter pylori (the bacteria that causes stomach ulcers), and even head lice.
Studies have also proved that these antimicrobial properties can act as a natural preservative when added to foods. It keeps foods from spoiling longer and improves the taste.
Cinnamon Health Benefits for Boosting Brain Function
Perhaps the most interesting of cinnamon health benefits, is its label as a ‘brain food’. Research discovered that be chewing cinnamon-flavored gum, or simply smelling cinnamon improved a patients memory and overall performance when asked to complete certain brain orientated tasks, such as memory recall, visual-motor speed, recognition, attention, and focus.
These significant findings need more study, but researcher’s are now looking at how cinnamon could potentially be used to help brain function in the elderly and even patients with Alzheimer’s and other degenerative neurological diseases.
Rich in Essential Nutrients
Cinnamon is packed with a number of health inducing vitamins and minerals, including manganese, fiber, iron and calcium. The unique combination of calcium and dietary fiber has been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer.
As well as these important nutrients, cinnamon also provides a natural resource of carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and amino acids.
Conclusion
As you can see, cinnamon health benefits cover a wide range of health issues. You probably had no idea this innocuous, overlooked spice, could improve your overall health and wellbeing.
If you are interested in adding it to your daily consumption, there are plenty of ways to incorporating cinnamon it into your cooking or simply taking a natural cinnamon capsule.
My Uncle started taking 1000mg (2 capsules) of cinnamon to help control his blood sugar levels and it had an immediate impact on his readings. Now he can control his levels much easier and through a naturally produced product.
Here’s a video discussing the use of cinnamon for diabetes and cardiovascular disease:
If you have any comments or questions, please drop them below.
Peter
