The 5: healthy things about cinnamon

Posted on Nov 20th 2007 12:08PM by Martha Edwards

Cinnamon is one of those spices that can liven up many dishes, and while tasty things often aren't good for you, this is one exception -- cinnamon is exceedingly healthy. It has a number of benefits, according to The Healthy Snacks Blog, including these top five:

1. Cinnamon has antifungal, antibacterial and antiparasitic properties. This means it can help fight yeast infections, lice and ulcers.

2. Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties. It can reduce your chances of strokes and heart disease.

3. Cinnamon can help lower bad cholesterol and it can help manage blood sugar levels and diabetes.

4. Cinnamon is an excellent source of manganese, dietary fiber, iron and calcium.

5. Smelling Cinnamon can improve your memory.

So enjoy cinnamon, but make sure you do it in moderation -- it can be toxic in large doses. And please note that large, doughy cinnamon buns are not an ideal source of cinnamon -- but they're a great source of fat and calories.

How do you use cinnamon in your diet?

Source

20 Comment

Tags: anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, calcium, cholesterol, cinnamon, diabetes, fiber, iron, manganese

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Vishaal 11-20-2007 @ 6:11PM

I sprinkle it in my oatmeal or on my peanut butter toast on whole grain bread with honey and some granola. It's great!!!

Martha Edwards 11-20-2007 @ 2:10PM

Mmmm, you've got my mouth watering Vishaal. Thanks for the ideas.

Chris Davis 11-20-2007 @ 3:07PM

Hey Martha,

Great post. And thanks for quoting my blog - I'm very honored!

Last night I had fresh pumpin raviolis with a dash of cinnamon sprinkled on top! Yum.

belovedbright 11-20-2007 @ 3:42PM

Of course... most cinnamon sold in the US isn't cinnamon -- it's cassia. (Often labeled "Saigon Cinnamon") So... does it still have the same effects?

Barbara 8-14-2008 @ 2:24PM

Not to mention in coffee grounds when you brew coffee, it also adds a spark to spaghetti sauce, of course yams whether fried, boiled or baked, in potpourie(sp) pots (it has a very calming effect)

nursekc 11-24-2007 @ 3:07PM

a study in a an endocrinology journal, releases earlier this month, just proved cinnamon does NOT affect/lower blood sugars, and therefore does NOT help treat diabetes. FYI...maybe you should check facts before posting health information, as many people rely on information like this to make important decisions regarding their own health.

Ravenia_1 11-24-2007 @ 3:31PM

To nursekc no mistake abouts but cinnamon does affect of reducing blood sugar theres been an improvement studies in years its nothing new as unchange it doesnt mean its treatable but it can lower blood sugar to diabetics and its not only for diabetics it can be other health sourceful as use as medical. its just not for recipe but its good for healthwise.

photoman 11-24-2007 @ 4:47PM

nursekc, your quoted study is only one, how about the many studys that show it does, also how about this:

CINNAMON LOWERS BLOOD SUGARS AND BLOOD FATS.
A study published in a recent journal Diabetes Care reveals exciting news for men and women with type 2 diabetes. Sixty type 2’s were given 2-12 capsules of the culinary spice cinnamon daily for 40 days. The actual amount of the spice equaled 1, 3, or 6 grams of cinnamon per day.
Results showed that all doses of cinnamon lowered fasting blood glucose by a whopping 18-29 percent. Additionally, total cholesterol, LDL (also known as "bad" cholesterol) and triglycerides also dropped significantly.

So I think they did check out their information, as a borderline type 2, I can tell you it does lower fasting blood suger, I take cinnamon every day and check my blood sugar every day several times a day, and when I do not take cinnamon caps, I see a 6 point rise in my blood sugar. 6 points for me means the difference in keeping it around the 110 target mark. It does make a difference.

Calico 11-24-2007 @ 4:06PM

It may seem far-fetched but I also discovered that ants do NOT cross over cinnamon (many insects die a while after crossing over chalk). Why...? I dunno but you can test it yourself.

JERRY GRUBBS 11-24-2007 @ 9:54PM

ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, MY DOCTOR DIAGNOSED ME WITH DIABETES, TYPE II...I READ A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER, A MEDICAL ARTICLE PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOC, WHEREAS CINNAMON DID HELP CONTROL DIABETES...I TRIED IT AND IT REALLY WORKED FOR ME...I REGULARLY SPRINKLE APPROX 1/4 TSP ABOUT FIVE TIMES/DAYS A WEEK ON MY TOAST OR CEREAL AND MY DOCTOR IS WELL PLEASED WITH MY SUGAR LEVELS.....I PERSONALLY TRULY BELIEVE IN IT !!!!!!!!

fran 11-24-2007 @ 4:55PM

In the U.S., Cinnulin PF is the only water-soluble cinnamon extract ingredient standardized for the recognized active component in cinnamon, double-linked Type-A Polymers. Despite USDA studies showing the health benefits of cinnamon, researchers note that when consumed consistently or in high doses, whole cinnamon and fat-soluble extracts may be toxic. Cinnulin PF retains the active components without the potentially harmful compounds, making it completely safe for everyday use.

nursekc 11-24-2007 @ 4:56PM

fasting sugar can change by 20-40 points on any given day, no matter what you have taken, medication or not. hormones, activity, food, stress, infection, weight gain or loss...all have a major affect on sugars. i am a diabetes educator and have seen no benefit in our practice with the use of cinnamon, which is why the american association of endocrinologists does not condone the use of it to treat impaired fasting glucose or type 2. just my 2 cents, if you think it helps, then by all means...

Reno Synclair 11-24-2007 @ 5:47PM

NurseKC, I agree that fasting blood sugar levels do fluctuate, an important reason why diabetics have to monitor their blood sugar at intervals during the day, every day. But I ask respectfully you consider the following:

Cinnamon may be more than a spice - it may have a medical application in preventing and combating diabetes. Cinnamon may help by playing the role of an insulin substitute in type II diabetes, according to cellular and molecular studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Iowa State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"Cinnamon itself has insulin-like activity and also can potentiate the activity of insulin," said Don Graves of UCSB. "The latter could be quite important in treating those with type II diabetes. Cinnamon has a bio-active component that we believe has the potential to prevent or overcome diabetes." [ from an article at News-Medical.Net, http://www.news-medical.net/?id=518 ]

A water-soluble, cinnamon extract has been shown to reduce fasting blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study from the University of Hannover in Hannover, Germany published in a recent issue of the European Journal of Clinical Investigation. [ from an article at Medical News Today, http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/46243.php ]

And, according to a study conducted by a group of Indian doctors assisted by an American researcher for the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, "After 40 days, all three levels of cinnamon reduced the mean fasting serum glucose (18–29%), triglyceride (23–30%), LDL cholesterol (7–27%), and total cholesterol (12–26%) levels; no significant changes were noted in the placebo groups." [ complete article at http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/26/12/3215 ]

Shaiel 11-24-2007 @ 6:40PM

This probably isn't the place to post this, since this is about food, but I can't but wonder if cinnamon would be good to use on a cat for fleas instead of poisonous chemicals.

I know animals react differantly to aromatherapy than humans do, it poisons them to a great degree since their livers cannot metabilize it well. Would cinnamon have the same affect?

I just need to get rid of fleas (on my cat, thanks) and I'm desperate!

Ravenia_1 11-24-2007 @ 7:04PM

I agreed to Reno Synclair well said its been unchange for years of studying that cinnamon does work a wonder! as for Nursekc My dad was a diabetic and he had a healthy life along with the cinnamon it does helped him lower his sugar best to believe the remedies of cinnamon are common for better treatment to help lower blood sugar so make no mistake about it its all facts

fitnhmiss 11-24-2007 @ 7:26PM

Similar to Vishaal, I sprinkle cinnamon on Wasa crackers with natural peanut butter (no salt or sugar added). Yum! :)

Alaine 11-24-2007 @ 7:57PM

Nursekc, I wouldn't believe anything any medical journal today has to say. I'm guessing from your SN you're a nurse, but not too much common sense. That's the problems with the medical field these days. It's run by a bunch of morons who believe everything the greedy money-hungry scum-bags at the top tell them. Common sense tells you to listen to the hundreds of years of wisdom over last week's latest "discovery"!!! Hmm, earlier this month,or hundreds of years...???" Doesn't take a rocket scientist or brain surgeon.....

ARTIE 11-24-2007 @ 8:04PM

I'M WITH NURSE KC. EVERYONE TODAY WANTS TO EAT ANYTHING/EVERYTHING, ALL THE TIME AND THINK THEY CAN TAKE A PILL AND ALL WILL BE WELL. THAT'S EXACTLY WHY WE HAVE SO MUCH OBESITY IN THE WORLD AND NOW IT'S THE CHILDREN. AND DON'T YOU LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE CLASSIFY THEMSELVES AS AVERAGE OR A FEW POUNDS OVERWEIGHT. YEAH, RIGHT, GIVE ME A BREAK.

dude 11-25-2007 @ 1:13AM

Of course nursekc doesn't want you to believe cinnamon lowers blood sugar. She listens to the doctors who listen to the pharmacutical salesmen. They sure as hell don't sell cinnamon to lower your blood sugar. She would probably think it was stupid to chew on willow bark for a headache, but thats where aspirin came from.

carrie 11-25-2007 @ 4:03AM

to shial
cinnamon...will only burn and cause discomfort to cats for fleas...you can liberally coat thr pelts with 'Brewers Yeast'...and put de-humid crystals under couches..beds...in their containers of course..the brewers yeast idea was given to me close to 20 years ago when i was boarding 16 cats in a humid..warm chicago area house..all with fleas...collars were useless..a few cats were having very bad reactions to both the fleas and medications from the vet..the brewers yeast and the crystals..solved the problem...I have never had a flea problem again.