10 Health Benefits of Cinnamon
I want to talk about the amazing health benefits of cinnamon. Not many people know just how incredibly healthy it is for you.
I went to a conference a few years ago called, "Spices As Natural Medicines" and it was presented by Merrily Kuhn, RN, CCRN(r), ND, Ph.D. Yes…I actually went to a conference about spices! It was absolutely phenomenal! If you ever have an opportunity to attend one of her classes and hear her speak, do so! I learned so much in just one day. I refer to my class materials all the time. Dr. Kuhn is such a wealth of information. I learned so much about spices and their healing abilities. I love learning about all of the natural medicines that the earth provides for us.
Cinnamon not only makes food and drinks yummy, it is soooo good for us! Did you ever hear of Ceylon Cinnamon? Neither did I before the conference. Ceylon cinnamon (cinnamomum verum) is what is also called 'True Cinnamon'. It is the finest quality of cinnamon and it has the most health benefits. If you can, I would recommend trying it. I thought it would be exactly the same as regular ground cinnamon (Cassia cinnamon) but it has a sweeter taste and it even smells bolder. I can taste the difference but even if I couldn't, it's healthier for you so you win either way.
This is the Ceylon cinnamon that I use. I ordered mine off of Amazon. I keep this container right out on my counter. I even put a teaspoon of cinnamon in my cups of coffee! Hey, don't knock it.
As far back as 4,000 years ago, cinnamon was considered a very rare and valuable spice that was reserved only for royalty as gifts of devotion. It was revered like the finest of gold. Cinnamon has been used medicinally for centuries. Here's just a few of the reasons why!
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BENEFITS OF CINNAMON
1. A natural anti-inflammatory.
Cinnamon lowers both swelling and inflammation. It also helps relieve sore muscles. If you suffer from ANY kind of pain, whether temporary or chronic, cinnamon can offer much relief! You probably have some in your pantry right now. Get on that!
2. Controls blood sugar.
Cinnamon is excellent for diabetics! Cinnamon blocks alanines, which are enzymes that facilitate sugar to be absorbed into the bloodstream. When you eat cinnamon with a meal, your body actually absorbs less sugar. This is wonderful news for everybody, but especially for diabetics or those of you who are dealing with insulin resistance.
{I had a lot of issues with insulin resistance in the beginning of my journey and had a very difficult time losing weight because of it. In addition to ingesting cinnamon every day, find out how I beat my insulin resistance and started losing weight by reading my article, "IN THE VERY BEGINNING, IT WAS TOUGH AS HELL".}
IMPORTANT NOTE:
If you take diabetes medicine, please consult your doctor before taking therapeutic doses of cinnamon. Because cinnamon is so effective in lowering blood sugar, you don't want to end up bringing your sugar down too low.
3. A natural anti-bacterial.
Studies have shown that cinnamon is one of the strongest natural anti-bacterials on the planet. Cinnamon will kill all of the bacteria in your stomach. Cinnamon can also alleviate nausea in minutes.
*If you have high amounts of bacteria in your stomach and drink cinnamon tea, you will find yourself burping. This is how you know the bacteria is being killed! That's just amazing to me!
Here's an easy recipe for cinnamon tea:
Cinnamon Tea
Whatchu Need:
1 Ceylon cinnamon stick or regular cinnamon stick
1 cup boiling water
1 black tea bag (reg or decaf)
Stevia or other natural sweetener (optional)
Whatchu Do:
Put cinnamon stick in a mug
Add boiling water and steep for 10-12 minutes
Add your tea bag and steep for 3 more minutes
Add sweetener (optional)
4. High amounts of antioxidants.
Antioxidants reduce free radical damage. Studies suggest that free radicals can play a part in causing cancer. So reducing these suckers is definitely something that sounds good to me! Antioxidants also slow down our aging process. Uh, sign me up for that shit, please.
Antioxidants play a big part in brain health as well. They help cognitive function and protect brain cells from mutating. Research shows it's because of this that cinnamon can protect us from Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Cinnamon is one of the top seven antioxidants in the world. Antioxidants help heal our body from wear and tear. They help repair every last part of that bod of yours. Everything from skin to organs.
5. Improves heart health.
Cinnamon not only lowers your bad cholesterol (LDL), but it raises your good cholesterol (HDL). That's not all it does for your ticker. It also helps lower blood pressure. Cinnamon has been proven to increase blood circulation and help thin the blood.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Cinnamon actually helps thin the blood so much that you need to be very careful not to mix high doses of cinnamon with blood thinning medication. Please talk to your doctor about ingesting cinnamon daily if you are taking any kind of blood thinner.
6. Treats PMS.
Uh, hello? If I can be less of a raging bitch before Shark Week, hell to the yes. It seems the older I get, the more my periods do a number on me. Aaaaaand I'm gonna go out on a limb here, but I'm guessing my hubs would agree with me.
7. Enhances mood.
Here's a fun study (yes, they do exist). Wheeling Jesuit University did a study on road rage. Yup, you read that right! In this study, it was found that just by sniffing cinnamon, drivers had less frustration and irritability. They also found that smelling cinnamon kept you more alert and awake. No wonder I love burning my cinnamon candles every Fall! They keep the rage away! There's several local stores that I frequent who line their entrances with giant bins of cinnamon scented acorns.
I took this pick right outside of Giant Eagle, a grocery store I frequent.
It smells so heavenly. No wonder they do this! They want you to be in a great mood walking in their store so you buy all kinds of shit you don't need! What a marketing ploy!
Btw, in this same study, it was discovered that smelling peppermint had the same effect as cinnamon.
I have to say though, I am so curious as to how they got the drivers in their study to get pissed off. I mean did they have someone sitting in the passenger side calling them names and making fun of their mamas? "Your mama is so ugly when she tried to join an ugly contest they said, sorry, no professionals.... oh you mad, bro? Yeah? Good, hurry up and sniff this cinnamon stick!" Haha. Seriously though, I wanna know!
8. Weight loss.
Cinnamon boosts your metabolism. Always a good thing for dropping the pounds!
SEE 9 CINNAMON RECIPES BELOW!
9. Lowers cancer risk.
Studies have shown that cinnamon stops cancer tumor growth while at the same time it encourages cancer cells to commit suicide (a process called apoptosis). In addition to treating people with cinnamon who currently have cancer, even more research has been approved to look into supplementing those who are at high risk for cancer with cinnamon to prevent the cancer from ever forming in the first place. Isn't that just amazing?!
10. This could go on forever!
Okay, I gotta throw a slew of benefits all into this last one or else we could be here all day! I'm closing it out with this down and dirty quick list:
Treats ADHD symptoms
Prevents and cures Candida
Reduces Irritable Bowel symptoms
Improves teeth and gum health
Fights allergies
Treats sore throats and coughs
Natural bug repellent
Treats toe fungus
Preserves food naturally
Sweetens foods without added sugar
Dem some weighty facts there, eh? I don't know about you but my mind is just completely blown away by what cinnamon can do for us. I mean, we should all be downing this stuff. Well actually... yours truly already does :)
Maybe that's why bugs don't come near me. I never get bit. I haven't had a mosquito bite in over five years. I could be sitting with a sea of people all getting eaten alive and I never get even one bite. With all that cinnamon I eat, my blood probably smells and tastes like a cinnamon stick which bugs hate!
So now that you basically want to go roll around naked in cinnamon while sucking on cinnamon sticks, how about I share with you some of my recipes that include cinnamon?
CINNAMON RECIPES:
Resource link:
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*The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content in this article is for general information purposes only. I am not a doctor, nor am I a dietitian. Talk to your physician before making any changes in your diet or exercise regimen. The information found in this article is from various sources which include, but are not limited to, the sites listed above. I encourage you to do your own research and talk with your physician before making any changes in diet or exercise. What has worked for me may not work for you. This information in this article or on this website should never replace or serve as medical advice.
NEVER DISREGARD PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR HAVE ACCESSED THROUGH THIS WEB SITE.
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