In the apple pie, through your oatmeal porridge or over the red cabbage stew. In addition to that cinnamon is incredibly tasty and versatile, this spice also has all kinds of health benefits. Cinnamon is good for your heart, your blood sugar level and much more.
Cinnamon is originally from Ceylon, present-day Sri Lanka. Sticks are made from the dried up and rolled inner bark of the cinnamon tree. The bark can also be ground to the known cinnamon powder.
Is cinnamon healthy?
Cinnamon has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries, and for good reason. For example, the oily part of cinnamon is full of the substance cinnamaldehyde. This is the substance to which cinnamon owes its wonderful scent and taste, but also the healing effect. In addition, cinnamon is full of vitamins, including vitamins A, C, B2 and B6. Finally, it is a source of important minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron.
Too much cinnamon dangerous?
It is not recommended by the Nutrition Center to eat too much cinnamon, because it would be harmful to your health. This has everything to do with the dust coumarin, which occurs in different plants. Not only in cinnamon, but also in tonka beans or bergamot, for example. Coumarin is a natural poison that protects the plant against external threats. If we get too much of this, it can lead to liver damage and blood clotting.
Small chance
However, there is little chance that this will happen, because then you will have to eat a lot of the substance. Moreover, the amount of poison decreases during the storage and preparation of dishes with cinnamon. Yet it is good to know that, despite the health benefits, you should not eat cinnamon all day long.
1. Cinnamon has an anti-inflammatory effect
Several studies (including this study) have shown that cinnamon is full of polyphenols. Polyphenols are antioxidants that protect your body against all kinds of invaders. Therefore, cinnamon not only has an anti-inflammatory effect, it can also repair damaged cells by activating enzymes that speed up cell recovery. In a study by the University of Hong Kong, cinnamon was compared to 26 other spices, and cinnamon contained the most antioxidants. Even more than the “superfoods” garlic and oregano!
2. Cinnamon reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
Good cholesterol is indicated with the HDL value, bad cholesterol with the LDL value. Cinnamon can lower the LDL value of cholesterol, according to a study by NFWP University. Only 120 milligrams per day would make a difference. Cinnamon also lowers blood pressure and improves blood markers in people with type 2 diabetes, research from the University of Malaysia has shown. These are all risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
3. Cinnamon lowers the risk of dementia
Alzheimer’s is partly caused by an accumulation of protein in the brain. An effect that can counteract cinnamon, follow scientists from the University of California.
4. Cinnamon inhibits the growth of fungi and bacteria
The main component of cinnamon, cinnamaldehyde, inhibits the growth of various fungi and bacteria. For example, it could help with the treatment of the Candida fungal disease, or with respiratory tract infections caused by fungi. This has emerged from a study by the University of Gorakphur.
5. Cinnamon helps against bad breath
These antibacterial effects also help to reduce bad breath. Bad breath often arises because the bacteria in your mouth are out of balance. Research from Amity University has shown that you can inhibit bad bacteria in your mouth by gargling cinnamon daily. Mix one teaspoon of cinnamon and one teaspoon of honey in half a glass of water and gargle twice a day with this.
6. Cinnamon helps with digestion
Cinnamon also stimulates blood circulation in the digestive system and the production of digestive juices. This helps cinnamon against heartburn and hard-to-digest food.
7. Cinnamon regulates blood sugar levels
Finally, cinnamon also contributes to a slower absorption of carbohydrates, according to a study by Kyong Hee University. That is good for your body, because you will not have so many peaks in your blood sugar levels. This means your pancreas has to work less often and you have less appetite for unhealthy snacks.
