Table of contents hide 1 1.- Reduce blood sugar levels 2 2.- Reduce cholesterol 3 3.- Support healthy blood clotting 4 4.- Combat bacteria and fungi 5 5.- Increases memory and protects the brain 6 6.- Improves digestion 7
Have you ever wondered if taking cinnamon every day is good for your health? Here we tell you.
Cinnamon is one of the oldest and most popular spices, it has been used for thousands of years, both for its aroma and medicinal properties . In ancient Egypt, it is used to fill body cavities of corpses as an embalming agent. In ancient Rome it was considered so valuable that Emperor Nero burned a year's supply in his wife's funeral pyre as proof of his devotion to it.
Ceylon cinnamon is more expensive and harder to find in North America, where most cassia cinnamon- labeled spices are actually cheaper. It is sweeter, lighter and more refined than cassia, it is the most suitable to flavor desserts instead of more robust and tasty dishes that can handle heavier cassia.
In addition to flavor, the most important distinction between the two species is in their levels of coumarin, a natural compound that acts as an anticoagulant when ingested.
Cassia has much higher levels of coumarin than true cinnamon. Patients treated with anticoagulants such as warfarin or Coumadin, which is its trade name, are often advised to limit cinnamon consumption, but this generally applies to Cassia rather than real cinnamon.
Both types of cinnamon are excellent sources of this trace manganese mineral, which is an important activator of enzymes essential for healthy bone formation, as well as other physiological processes, including carbohydrate and fat metabolism .
They are also both very good sources of dietary fiber, iron and calcium. The combination of calcium and fiber is believed to be useful in reducing the risk of colon cancer and reducing cholesterol levels, and relieving constipation or diarrhea.
Here are six reasons why you take cinnamon every day is very important for your health:
1.- Reduce blood sugar levels
Cinnamon has been used to normalize blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics, by improving the ability to respond to insulin. What it does, in part, is to decrease the rate at which the stomach empties after eating, as evidenced by a study in which people ate about a cup of rice pudding with and without a teaspoon of cinnamon. The addition of cinnamon reduced the stomach emptying rate from 37% to 34.5% and significantly decreased the increase in blood sugar levels . Even less than half a teaspoon a day reduces blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics.
2.- Reduce cholesterol
Diabetics can also reduce their risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease by consuming even one gram per day (approximately 1/3 teaspoon) of cinnamon. A 2003 USDA study found that after 40 days of eating only 1 to 6 grams of cinnamon (about 2 teaspoons), type 2 diabetics were not only able to reduce their blood sugar levels from 18-29 %, but also reduced triglycerides by 23-30%, LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) by 7 to 27% and total cholesterol by 12-26%.
3.- Support healthy blood clotting
Many investigations have been devoted to the effect of cinnamon on blood platelets that contribute to coagulation. It helps to thin the blood and prevent agglutination of unwanted platelets. It is as effective as an anti-coagulant that patients who take it. Prescription anti-coagulants are advised not to take cinnamon in concentrated form, such as supplements or extracts.
4.- Combat bacteria and fungi
Ayurvedic medicine has long used cinnamon for its microbial qualities to support the immune system and prevent colds and flu. It has been shown to help stop the growth of bacteria, fungi and common Candida yeast. A study showed that it is an effective alternative to chemical food preservatives and only a few drops of cinnamon essential oil added to the chilled carrot broth prevents the growth of pathogens transmitted by food for a maximum of 60 days.
5.- Increase memory and protect the brain
Chewing gum with cinnamon flavor or simply smelling the sweet spice has been considered an option to improve brain activity . The research led by Dr. P. Zoladz and presented at the 2004 Chemoreception Science Association meeting in Sarasota, Florida concluded that cinnamon improves cognitive processing and has been found to improve test subjects, points related to attention, memory and visor-motor speed when working on a computer.
A 2011 study has suggested that cinnamon may have a role in reducing the type of chronic inflammation that leads to various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, brain tumor, and meningitis.
6.- Improves digestion
In traditional Chinese medicine, cinnamon has been used for flatulence, nausea and diarrhea . It is also believed to improve the body's ability to digest fruit, milk and other dairy products.
Both cassia and true cinnamon are often labeled as the same in North America. The true Ceylon version will be more expensive, and it will be a lighter shade of, a fine brown powder and have a sweeter aroma. When buying the sticks, known as “spikes, ” you should keep in mind that, in general, the cassia will be thicker and the two ends will start towards each other instead of being rolled in only one direction.
This is why it is recommended to take cinnamon every day, or at least several times a week.
AUTHOR: JoT333, editor of the great family of hermandadblanca.org
