Cinnamon tastes good and is good for us!

Posted by Sherry Giardiniere on July 18, 2011 0 Comments

 What a better time to write about cinnamon than today. Cinnamon is one herb that actually tastes good, has been used since almost the beginning of time and has many health and emotional benefits. Now I would be really happy if I could find that chocolate has as many benefits!

First off, even though the essential oils and herbs are natural to our great Earth, it doesn't mean that our bodies will not have some sensitivities. I think most of us have eaten cinnamon at some point in our lives, so if you can not eat or use it, you will most likely all ready know.

Since we are more familiar with cinnamon in powder form, this is where I will start. Cinnamon, being one of our oldest spices, has a long history as an herbal remedy for many ailments. Some of the most common being: colds, flu, digestive problems, rheumatism and arthritis.

More recent studies show that just 1/2 teaspoon per day can lower LDL Cholesterol by 20 points. Thats not too shabby! Certainly worth a try as far as I am concerned. And how hard would it be to consume 1/2 tsp per day? We would just have to get into the habit. Add it to your daily oatmeal or applesauce. I like the idea of appple pie! I am sure we could be creative and figure out many, many healthy ways to use cinnamon.

Several other studies are suggesting that cinnamon can help to level blood sugar levels. Wow, maybe this can keep Diabetes II at bay?

In a study at Copenhagen University, patients given 1/2 tsp of cinnamon powder combined with 1 TBS. of honey daily before breakfast had significant relief in arthritis pain after one week and could walk without pain within one month.

Another little fact, cinnamon was found to inhibit bacteria when added to food...

Researchers at Kansas State University found that cinnamon fights the E. coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices.

Want to boost your memory? YES, yet another study showed significant boost in cognitive function and memory just by smelling cinnamon.

A few more trivia facts, just in case you are on Jeopardy and one of the categories is
CINNAMON...

1. Cinnamon is mentioned in Chinese writings as far back as 2800 BC.

2. The Egyptians used cinnamon medicinally and as a flavoring in food and beverages.
Hypocras is a famous centuries old spiced wine that is spiced with cinnamon. This was invented by our oldtime favorite person, Hippocrates in the 5th century BC. This wine is still produced in small amounts in some regions in France

3. Two teaspoons of Cinnamon powder have about 12 calories.

That's it for today folks. I am going to go bake me an apple with some cinnamon. I think I will skip the sugar...