Uses and benefits of cinnamon

In years gone by cinnamon was a symbol of affluence and power so much so that weight for weight it traded at a higher price than gold. Its history dates back to early Egyptian times where it was thought to play a key role in the embalming process. It was the Arabs who first brought cinnamon to Europe often taking hazardous land routes with their cargo, meaning only small quantities of the spice would make it to market where it would demand extremely high prices. There are two main varieties if cinnamon Ceylon cinnamon is produced in Sri Lanka and has a sweet flavour the other type is known a Cassia cinnamon and it’s this cheaper version grown in Indonesia that is more common in our supermarkets today.

Cinnamon Benefits:

• Improve blood circulation: A compound known as coumarin found in cinnamon had powerful blood thinning properties that are similar to aspirin.

• Fight cancer: A recent study carried out at the University of Texas indicated that cinnamon can reduce the rate of which cancer cells spread through the body.

• Colon health: Cinnamon is a great source of dietary fiber as well as a number of trace minerals both of which aid in the removal of bile from the body, this helps to reduce risk of bowel cancer as well as conditions such as irritable bowl syndrome.

• Cardiovascular health: The powerful anti inflammatory action of cinnamon makes it great at protecting our hearts from the damaging effects of high cholesterol foods.

• Regulates blood sugar levels: Many studies have shown cinnamon to be beneficial to people suffering from type 2 diabetes, as little as half a teaspoon a day can be enough to regulate glucose levels throughout the whole body.

• Cold and flu: For generation cinnamon has been used to fight off cold and flu viruses, although there are no studies to back up their claims mixing cinnamon with honey and warm water is great at calming a sore throat.

Tips:

1. To preserve the rich flavours of cinnamon, it’s a good idea to store in an air tight jar or container.
2. Sprinkle cinnamon on to porridge or  fresh yoghurt in the morning for a great healthy breakfast snack.
3. Cinnamon can be added to a coffee grinder to make it easy to use the fresh sticks

If you know any uses we forgot to cover or have any question please drop us a comment below.

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