Cinnamon
What do India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Brazil, Vietnam, and Egypt have in common? Cinnamon trees. Cinnamon is one of the oldest known spices. The bark of the tree is dried and rolled into sticks, also called quills. The sticks are popular but we use mostly this spice ground into a powder.
The flavor and aroma of cinnamon comes from a compound in the essential oil called cinnamonaldehyde. Don’t let the name alarm you, I know at first blush anything ending in “aldehyde” gives one cause for concern, but it’s OK. Cinnamon is typically used in baking, and some hot drinks, but if you really want to take a walk on the wild side, sprinkle a bit on your veggies. Hey don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.
Aside from it’s versatility in cooking there’s are additional health benefits. In traditional Chinese medicine, Cassia cinnamon is used for colds, flatulence, nausea, diarrhea, and painful menstrual periods. It’s also believed to improve energy, vitality, and circulation and be particularly useful for people who tend to feel hot in their upper body but have cold feet. Preliminary lab and animal studies have found that cinnamon may have antibacterial and antifungal properties. It’s active against Candida albicans, the fungus that causes yeast infections and Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria responsible for stomach ulcers.
<p>Recent studies have found that cinnamon may have a beneficial effect on blood sugar. The results of a study from 2003 in Pakistan showed that people with Type 2 diabetes. showed lower levels of fasting glucose, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol after 40 days with levels continuing to drop for 20 days after that.
The study was made up of 60 people with Type 2 diabetes who were divided into 6 groups of 10. Three groups received cinnamon in the form of capsules totaling 1, 3 or 6 grams of cinnamon a day. The other three groups received placebo capsules. The capsules were taken three times a day, after meals. All three levels of cinnamon showed results, leading researchers to believe that as little as 1 gram a day of cinnamon may benefit people who have Type 2.
Did you know that you could buy cinnamon capsules? I didn’t until recently. My question is, are they as effective as the real thing? Manufacturers typically add fillers and sometimes preservatives to extend the shelf life of supplements. If you decide to include cinnamon in your healthy eating plan, opt for the real stuff. A can or jar is more economical and I would say healthier than buying pills. Of course discuss it with your doctor if you have any questions. At any rate a little bit of cinnamon will add a bit more zip to your doo-dah.
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