Cinnamon Health Benefits

Cinnamon health benefits are varied. This favorite spice has been used for centuries for various health ailments. The ancient Chinese used it in many of their remedies and medical treatments. It can also be used in a variety of teas as a supplement for numerous ailments.

Learn more about herbal medicinal plants.

Common Cinnamon Health Benefits

There are many ways you can use cinnamon to do more than just flavor your toast. Try these health remedies.

• Common Cold: Cinnamon is supposed to help those with a common gold. It can be used in a chai tea to improve congestion and clear a "stuffy head" feeling.

• Nausea: Use it as a tea or as an ingredient in soups to help with nausea. Use a teaspoon of cinnamon in a broth based soup to help calm nausea.

• Diarrhea and Flatulence: Adding cinnamon to foods can help reduce flatulence and fight diarrhea in individuals. The ground powder is an easy accompaniment to many meats and vegetables.

• Improve Energy: Cinnamon was used in ancient Chinese medicine to help improve energy and to give people more vitality. It is said to improve the circulation of blood. As such, those who feel warm in their chest and head area, but have cold feet, will benefit from adding cinnamon to drinks or in other recipes.

• Blood Improvements: Some herbalists claim that taking regular amounts of cinnamon will work as an anti-clotting effect on the blood. Those taking blood thinners should consult a doctor before consuming large amounts of cinnamon.

• Arthritis Pain Relief: Cinnamon has also been shown to be helpful in reducing arthritis pain. To see these results, add half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder to one tablespoon of honey. Take each morning with breakfast. After a week, it may reduce pain significantly.

In the Ayurveda methods of treatment used by ancient India cultures, cinnamon was heavily used as a tool for improving diabetes, colds and indigestion. It could be used in many dishes or steeped and drank as a tea.

In addition, in many ancient remedies, cinnamon was added to teas to improve digestion when eating milk or fruit. It was a common additive for those who struggled to consume dairy products. For the best health benefits, add it to chai tea.

Other cinnamon health benefits include improving cognitive function, improving memory, inhibiting bacterial growth and reducing leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells. It is important to talk to your doctor about using cinnamon for any of these benefits.

What Science Says About Cinnamon as a Health Benefit

Like many herbal remedies, scientists are still learning about the effects of cinnamon on the body. There have been several studies done that do show some promise.

In one, documented in the medical journal Diabetes Care, published in 2003, 60 people with Type 2 diabetes consumed one, three or six grams of cinnamon each day. The cinnamon was taken in a pill form. This equates to about one quarter of a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. This was consumed daily for 40 days. The results were interesting. In all three groups, cinnamon was found to reduce fasting blood glucose by up to 29 percent. It reduced triglycerides up to 30 percent. LDL cholesterol fell by as much as 27 percent. Total cholesterol numbers dropped by 12 to 26 percent in the group.

It is in part because of this study that those taking medications that affect blood glucose or insulin levels should monitor their use of cinnamon in large quantities. Individuals who wish to try a cinnamon herbal remedy should first speak with their physician before doing so.

Nutrition of Cinnamon

According to George Mason University there are a few interesting facts about cinnamon and health.

• Cinnamon oil is an anti-microbial. As such, it has been shown to kill various bacterial strains including E.coli.

• Cinnamon oil can stop the growth of Helicobacter pylori.

• Cinnamon oil is a good source of antioxidants, which fight free radicals in the body.

• It is an excellent anti-inflammatory treatment.

As simple as cinnamon may seem, it is a healthy nutrient to add to diets. Sprinkling some into recipes and teas is an easy way to get nutrition to fight many ailments.

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