Cinnamon is a Spice Chock Full of Benefits

Although some may simply view cinnamon as a flavorful additive to their drinks or desserts, it is also believed to have numerous health benefits. Cinnamon is a small tree that grows in Egypt, Brazil, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, among other locations, and is one of the world’s oldest spices. For use, the bark of the cinnamon tree is rolled up into cinnamon sticks or dried and ground into powder form. There are four varieties of cinnamon, two of which are the most popular: Ceylon and cassia. Ceylon is thought to be the truest of the cinnamon varieties since it has the sweetest taste and its bark can be ground in a coffee grinder. Still, most cinnamon users are familiar with cassia, but it has harder quills and cannot be easily ground in a coffee grinder.

But again, although the flavor is a plus, it has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for ailments like diarrhea, nausea, menstrual cramps and colds. It was also believed to increase vitality and energy. In traditional Indian medicine, cinnamon was also used for colds, and thought as a remedy for diabetes and indigestion. It is used frequently in chai tea because cinnamon is believed to help digest fruit and dairy products.

Cinnamon is also thought to have an effect on aging since it is one of the top antioxidant-rich spices, along with cloves and oregano. Antioxidants are substances that scavenge the body for free radicals. Free radicals are harmful oxygen molecules that can cause damage to DNA and even kill cells. It is believed that free radicals are linked to ailments like heart disease, macular dystrophy, diabetes and cancer.

Although chock full of health benefits, if someone overdoses on cinnamon it may cause inflamed tasted buds and mouth ulcers, and more seriously could dilate blood vessels, cause depression and convulsions.