Once upon a time, cinnamon was more valuable than gold. The potential health benefits attributable to cinnamon could be stated as nothing short of astonishing.
Cinnamon is a spice that comes from the branches of wild trees that belong to the genus "Cinnamomum" - native to the Caribbean, South America, and Southeast Asia.
There are two main types of cinnamon:
- Cinnamomum verum (Ceylon cinnamon), most commonly used in the Western world
- Cinnamomum aromaticum (Cassia cinnamon or Chinese cinnamon), which originates from southern China, is typically less expensive than Ceylon cinnamon.
In traditional Chinese medicine, Cassia cinnamon is used for colds, flatulence, nausea, diarrhea, and painful menstrual periods. It's also believed to improve energy, vitality, and circulation and be particularly useful for people who tend to feel hot in their upper body but have cold feet.
A recent meta-analysis found cinnamon can lower blood sugar and cholesterol in humans, but so far evidence that it eases arthritis is limited to animal data. For health benefits, cassia cinnamon, which is typically sold in supermarkets, has been more widely studied than Ceylon cinnamon. But scientists say Ceylon cinnamon is likely safer in very high doses than supermarket cinnamon.
Studies have found blood-sugar benefits of a sprinkle a day of cassia cinnamon, says Angela Ginn, a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. But most of the studies in the meta-analysis used cassia cinnamon so it is a "big unknown" whether Ceylon cinnamon would offer the same benefits, she adds.
Cinnamon has been consumed since 2000 BC in Ancient Egypt, where it was very highly prized. In medieval times doctors used cinnamon to treat conditions such as coughing, arthritis and sore throats.
Recent research indicates that cinnamon can have favorable effects on brain function. Participants in a study chewed cinnamon gum or smelled the sweet spice. Cognitive tests revealed that subjects who used cinnamon had better memory functions and could process information more quickly. Encouraged by these findings, scientists will now conduct studies to see if cinnamon will improve mental skills in the elderly and those prone to anxiety before testing.
It’s possible we’re just brushing the surface here, for Chinese medicine and Ayurveda have long revered cinnamon as a superpower used to treat things such as colds, indigestion and cramps and also believed to improve energy, vitality and circulation. The following are eleven health benefits associated with this beloved spice that studies have suggested:
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower your bad cholesterol (or LDL).
- One of cinnamon's most impressive health benefits is its ability to improve blood glucose control.
For example, just half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day has previously been shown to significantly reduce blood sugar levels, triglycerides, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes. (2)Cinnamon may help treat Type 2 Diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels and increasing the amount of insulin production in the body.
- Cinnamon has antifungal properties, and it’s been said that candida cannot live in a cinnamon environment.
- Cinnamon can reduce the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.
- Cinnamon has an anti-clotting effect on the blood.
- Honey and Cinnamon combined have been found to relieve arthritis pain.
- When added to food, cinnamon inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative.
- Just smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory.
- Cinnamon fights the E. coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices.
- Cinnamon has been found to be an effective natural remedy for eliminating headaches and migraine relief.
- Cinnamon can also help stablize blood sugar (which is great for weight loss). A couple of dashes in your morning tea or cereal is all it takes!
This doesn't mean that you should go out and take large doses of cinnamon because it can be toxic in large doses. I would suggest just adding it to your diet and sprinkling a little in your coffee, in your smoothies, on your toast and where ever it feels appropriate.