September 18, 2020

Good Morning,

Cinnamon comes from the bark of the cinnamon tree. It has been used as both a spice and a traditional medicine. You'll even find it as a supplement in teas and capsules.

What else can the common household spice be used for?

Regards,
Steve

Questions? Comments? Email Steve

*-- Who Knew Cinnamon Had So Many Health Benefits? --*

An essential oil in cinnamon called cinnamaldehyde can target your fat cells and make them burn more energy, according to a lab study. This is exciting news for anyone trying to lose weight, but the research is still in the early stages so before trying to include this into a daily diet, it is important to check with your doctor.

Are you a DIY'er? DIY stands for "Do it Yourself" and if you look on the internet for cinnamon face mask, you'll probably find plenty of DIY recipes that say they will fight pimples and redness. There's very little to back this up but one small study that found Ceylon cinnamon can fight the types of bacteria known to cause acne. Another small lab study suggests that cinnamon can boost collagen production, which might help your skin look younger.

Antioxidants protect your body from oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Cinnamon is loaded with polyphenols and in a study that compared the antioxidant activity of 26 spices, cinnamon wound up as the clear winner, even outranking "superfoods" like garlic and oregano. In fact, it is so powerful that cinnamon can be used as a natural food preservative.

Cinnamon has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, the world's most common cause of premature death. In people with type 2 diabetes, 1 gram or about half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to have beneficial effects on blood markers. It reduces levels of total cholesterol, "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, while "good" HDL cholesterol remains stable. More recently, a big review study concluded that a cinnamon dose of just 120 mg per day can have these effects. In this study, cinnamon also increased "good" HDL cholesterol levels. In animal studies, cinnamon has been shown to reduce blood pressure. When combined, all these factors may drastically cut your risk of heart disease.

Well-known for its anti-diabetic effects, cinnamon is considered one of the best foods for diabetics. It can lower blood sugar levels and improve sensitivity to the hormone insulin, which helps transport sugar from the bloodstream to the tissues to keep blood sugar levels balanced. Cinnamon for diabetes can help block the activity of several digestive enzymes to slow the absorption of sugar in the bloodstream after a high-carb meal.