Cinnamon: A Sweet Spice with Sweeping Health Advantages

Cinnamon has been revered for its amazing health benefits for centuries. It is full of many compounds that can totally transform your health. It has benefits for several organs of the body and almost all systems and bodily functions. In the last several years, modern-day experts have been doing deep research on the powerful impact cinnamon has on health. Read on to learn about cinnamon, a sweet spice with sweeping health advantages. 

Cinnamon has strong medicinal power

This powerful spice is actually made from the bark of trees. The inner bark is extracted from the stems of cinnamon trees, and it is either made into powder or dried and rolled into cinnamon sticks. The smell comes from the oily part of the bark known as cinnamaldehyde, which experts believe is the component most beneficial to health. 

It has a ton of antioxidants

Antioxidants are an amazing element that protects the body from oxidative damage by eliminating free radicals. Cinnamon contains antioxidants called polyphenols. They are so powerful that they can even be used to preserve food. 

Cinnamon can reduce inflammation

Inflammation is the body’s natural response to infections and helps heal damaged tissue. But it can become dangerous when it is chronic. Cinnamon has been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory effects. 

Cinnamon could help protect against heart disease

Research has shown that cinnamon can help reduce heart disease. Less than a teaspoon a day has the power to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Other studies have shown that cinnamon can also reduce blood pressure when consumed for 8 weeks on a regular basis. 

Cinnamon can improve sensitivity to insulin

Insulin is a key factor in regulating metabolism and the use of energy. This hormone is also vital for moving blood sugar from your bloodstream directly to your cells. Cinnamon can help increase insulin sensitivity, which helps reduce the risk of developing diabetes. 

Cinnamon can reduce blood sugar levels

Cinnamon can also help lower blood sugar. It does this partly by decreasing how much sugar reaches the bloodstream after eating a meal. This is because it can stop digestive enzymes from slowing down the breakdown of carbs in the digestive tract. It can also mimic the effects of insulin, which can help improve how sugars are absorbed by cells. 

Cinnamon could help protect against neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are thought to progress through a loss of structure and function within nerve cells. Cinnamon contains compounds that are thought to reduce the buildup of a protein in the brain called tau. This protein is one of the contributing factors in Alzheimer’s disease. 

Cinnamon can reduce the risk of developing cancer

One of the most impressive benefits of cinnamon is its anti-cancer properties. Animal studies have shown that cinnamon can reduce the growth of cancer cells and can even be toxic to cancer cells. It has also been shown to potentially reduce the size of cancer tumors. A mice study revealed that cinnamaldehyde could block proteins responsible for the growth of ovarian cancer. 

Cinnamon can block bacterial and fungal infections 

The main component of cinnamon is cinnamaldehyde, which may help fight against different kinds of infections. It has even shown the possibility of killing fungi that can contribute to respiratory infections and bacteria like Listeria and Salmonella. Cinnamon can also potentially reduce the risk of infections in the mouth. It can fight tooth decay as well as bad breath. 

Cinnamon can help fight viruses 

Cinnamon is also thought to be anti-viral as well. Cinnamon taken from Cassia has even shown promise in fighting HIV, specifically the most common strain of HIV known as HIV-1. It can also fight viruses like influenza and Dengue, which is a virus that can be transmitted by mosquitoes.