Health benefits of cinnamon
in your diet
adding as little as ¼ tsp of
cinnamon per day to your
diet will lower cholesterol
and enhance the effectiveness
of insulin in people with
Type II diabetes, resulting
in reduced blood sugar levels.
In this study, LDL cholesterol,
or “bad” cholesterol was
lowered by 7 to 27 percent.
Those taking higher amounts
of cinnamon-up to 1 ¾ tsp
daily for 40 days, saw a
reduction of 23 to 30 percent in triglyceride levels, or the fats in the blood.
Adding cinnamon to the diet is not only good for diabetics but for those who have a blood sugar problem and don't know it.
Official studies aside, I personally know of three people who lowered their cholesterol by adding cinnamon to their diets. Their total cholesterol was over 250 and after changing nothing in their otherwise healthy diet except to add cinnamon, both had a reduction of between 40 and 50 points in their total cholesterol.
Other health benefits of cinnamon
- Cinnamon has a long history as a fragrant spice and as a medicine. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, cinnamon is known for its warming qualities and the aroma is thought to enhance cognitive thinking and increase metabolism.
- Cinnamon contains antioxidents to boost the immune system.
- Cinnamon is an anti-blood clotting and anti-inflammatory food-and inflammation is the root cause of many health problems such as arthritis and heart disease.
- Cinnamon contains manganese, fiber and calcuim
- Cinnamon is anti-microbial and has been studied for its ability to stop the growth of bacteria and fungi, including candida yeast.
- A common ingredient in chai tea, cinnamon is thought to aid digestion of dairy products and fruit.
What Type of Cinnamon is Best for Long Term Use?
Chinese or cassia cinnamon, which you purchase at your local supermarket contain coumarin, a natural compound which can affect the liver. If you plan to use cinnamon for the long term, look for Ceylon Cinnamon, which contains much lower doses of coumarin. Ceylon cinnamon has a milder flavor than cassia cinnamon.
Ceylon cinnamon is not always easy to find and you can't get it in your local grocery store. I order it by the pound from Amazon.com
For some, any cinnamon can cause heartburn. If this happens to you, try cinnamon capsules which are available at your local health food store. Just remember, however, that these capsules probably won't be Ceylon cinnamon either.
Adding cinnamon to your diet is simple and costs pennies per day. There are no known adverse effects, besides the ones listed above. Besides, cinnamon tastes delicious! Try adding cinnamon to mixed fruit, yogurt or cereal or try these recipes.
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