10 Awe-inspiring Health Benefits of Cinnamon

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Facts About Cinnamon.

It could be the oldest spice in the world; it has been known to be used for over 4,000 years. Not only did the Ancient Egyptians use cinnamon in their food and drink but they also used it as an embalming agent. It is also mentioned in the Bible.

Arab traders brought the spice to Europe.

Legend has it that the Roman Emperor Nero had a years supply burnt at his wife’s funeral as a way of showing his remorse because he killed her.

The cinnamon tree can grow up to 60 feet in height and its fruit is a purple 1cm berry containing a single seed. When it’s harvested, the bark and leaves are the parts used. In fact, the bark is one of the few spices that can be eaten in its raw state.

Sri Lanka, Indonesia and China are the world’s largest producers of cinnamon. The annual production is 27,500 to 35,000 tons.

There are two types of cinnamon; cassia and Ceylon. Cassia is the common one that is sold by supermarkets. However, it contains more ‘coumarin’ than the Ceylon variety. Coumarin is a toxic compound so only small quantities of cinnamon should be consumed. It could irritate your mouth and lips and cause sores. Some people may be allergic to it.

The largest cinnamon roll ever recorded was made in Oregon on April 10, 2018. It weighed 521.5kg! Check out this Youtube video for more.

Cinnamon oil can deter mosquitoes.

This spice is used in Chinese medicine. The smell and taste of it come from the essential oils in the bark known as ‘cinnamaldehyde’ and it has antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties.

10 Awe-inspiring Health Benefits of Cinnamon.

1. Reduces inflammation the cause of chronic illnesses and disease.

2. Promotes good gut health. Cinnamon has prebiotic properties that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and suppresses the growth of pathogens.

3. Can relieve your digestive discomfort. In Ayurvedic medicine, the extract of cinnamon has been used for treating flatulence and digestive imbalances for years.

4. There is limited research for this but cinnamon may help to lower your blood pressure.

5. It could help to lower your blood sugar levels.

6. Reduces your ‘bad’ cholesterol while your ‘good’ cholesterol remains stable. One study has shown that only 120mg per day is needed for this effect.

7. It may help to relieve symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. More research is needed but the results of a study showed that cinnamon helped to protect the brain cells and improved the motor function of mice with this disease.

8. There is limited research that showed that cinnamon may protect you from cancer. The spice seems to be poisonous to cancer cells.

9. Could prevent Multiple Sclerosis. Some studies suggest that cinnamon may protect your regulatory T cells or ‘Tregs’. These Tregs regulate your immune responses and MS sufferers appear to have lower levels than those without MS. Cinnamon treatment has prevented the loss of certain proteins belonging to Tregs. Also, the myelin (covers your nerve cells) levels of mice with MS were restored by cinnamon.

10. Promotes healing. In 2015, scientists packaged antimicrobial compounds from peppermint and cinnamon into tiny capsules that can kill ‘biofilms’ (bacterial surfaces) thus, treating and healing wounds.

Well, I’m blown away by this spice. I’ve always enjoyed eating it in cakes and pastries; particularly cinnamon swirls.

I sometimes sprinkle it on my porridge and I love a bit in my coffee; which I have black. Also, cinnamon tastes lovely in curries.

Do you like cinnamon? How do you consume it?

Sources: thefactsite.com, thatsitfruit.com, justfunfacts.com, foodbeast.com, bbcgoodfood.com, sciencedirect.com, healthline.com, medicalnewstoday.com, webmd.com