What is Cinnamon Good For: 10 Health Properties

Cinnamon is an aromatic spice that comes from the bark of a tree called cinnamon tree. This spice is used in the form of powder or stick to prepare various culinary dishes, because it gives a sweet touch to meals, and can also be prepared as a tea or used as a tincture.

Regular consumption of cinnamon along with a healthy and balanced diet, could provide various health benefits such as:

Helping to control diabetes because it improves sugar utilization;

Improve digestive disorders such as gas, spasmodic problems and to treat diarrhea, due to its antibacterial, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effect;

Decrease fatigue and improve mood because it increases resistance to stress;

Help fight cholesterol and triglycerides due to the presence of antioxidants;

Aid in digestion, mainly when mixed with honey because honey has enzymes that facilitate digestion and cinnamon has an antibacterial, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effect;

Combat respiratory tract infections, as it has a drying effect on the mucous membranes and is a natural expectorant;

Decrease appetite as it is rich in fiber that increases the feeling of satiety. Learn how to use cinnamon for weight loss;

Reduce fat accumulation because it improves the sensitivity of tissues to the action of insulin;

Improve intimate contact because it is an aphrodisiac and improves blood circulation, increasing sensitivity and pleasure, which also favors sexual contact;

Lower blood pressure, due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help relax the blood vessels.

All these benefits are due to the fact that cinnamon is rich in mucilages, gums, resins, coumarins and tannins that confer antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antispasmodic, anesthetic and probiotic properties.

To obtain all these benefits of cinnamon just consume 1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder per day.

Cinnamon nutritional information

The table below shows the nutritional composition per 100 g of cinnamon:

How to use cinnamon

The parts of cinnamon used are its peel, found in supermarkets in the form of cinnamon sticks, and in essential oil that can be purchased in health food stores.

Sprinkling 1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder on fruit salad or oatmeal cereal are optimal strategies to naturally lower blood glucose, being useful for diabetes control and weight loss.

A popular way to take advantage of the benefits of cinnamon is to use it as a seasoning for meats, fish, chicken and even tofu. To do this simply grind 2 pcs of star anise, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon of coarse salt and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Store the seasoning in the refrigerator and it is ready to use on any occasion.

Healthy Recipes

Some recipes where cinnamon can be used are:

1. Cinnamon Tea

Ingredients:

1 cinnamon stick;

1 cup of boiling water;

How to prepare:

Place 1 cinnamon stick in a cup of boiling water, letting it steep for 10 minutes. Serve in a cup and drink up to 3 cups per day, before meals.

2. Banana Cinnamon Cake

Ingredients

5 eggs;

2 and ¼ cups wheat flour;

1 cup brown or masticated sugar;

1 tablespoon baking powder;

¾ cups milk;

2 bananas, mashed;

1 cup oil;

½ cup crushed walnuts.

How to prepare

Blend the eggs, sugar, milk and oil for 5 minutes. Then add the wheat flour and baking powder, blending a little more to mix everything. Finally, transfer the dough to a bowl, add the mashed bananas and the crushed nuts and stir well until the dough is uniform. Pre-heat the oven to 180º

Place in the oven until golden brown, remove and sprinkle cinnamon on top of the cake.

3. Baked apple with cinnamon

Ingredients:

2 Units of Apple;

2 Units of Cinnamon stick;

2 tablespoons of brown sugar or mascabado.

How to prepare:

Wash the apples and remove the central part where the stem and seeds are, but without splitting the apples. Place the apples on a tray for the oven, placing a cinnamon stick in the center and sprinkling with sugar. Bake in the oven at 200 ºC for 15 minutes or until the apples are very soft.

Another way to consume cinnamon is in the form of tea, see how to prepare it. 

Side effects

Cinnamon is generally safe to use in small amounts. Side effects of cinnamon have been reported when Cinnamomum cassia species is ingested in large quantities, because it contains coumarins, which can cause allergies and skin irritation, hypoglycemia and liver damage in people with severe liver disease.

Contraindications

Cinnamon should not be consumed during pregnancy, by people with gastric or intestinal ulcers or who have severe liver disease.

In the case of babies and children caution should be taken, especially when they have a history of allergy in the family, are asthmatic or suffer from eczema.

See more about cinnamon in the video below: