Cinnamon is so much more than the extra punch in your latte or the crowning achievement of the humble bun. Yes, it’s delicious and its distinct aroma will cheer up a dire morning, but it also has an important place in your natural remedy cabinet.
Cinnamon has multiple applications, ranging from helping with pain relief, lowering cholesterol, being an antioxidant, reducing inflammation, and helping manage weight.
Before you explore its wonderful medicinal effects, you need to be aware of the different types of cinnamon.
There’s a difference between cinnamon that’s healthy and cinnamon that isn’t:
Although it’s more expensive than its Cassia counterpart, studies have linked the Ceylon variety with increased health benefits regarding the regulation of your blood sugar levels.
Trust me, Ceylon is worth its weight in gold because it has a lower level of coumarin. Coumarin is a naturally occurring toxin that can cause liver damage if consumed in excessive quantities.
So, how can you find the Ceylon variety? If you’re looking for cinnamon powder, it’s only a simple matter of checking the label. When it comes to choosing cinnamon sticks, the Ceylon variety is a lot thinner and multilayered than the Cassia type.
Now that we have that cleared up, let’s explore why you should use cinnamon.
5 Reason to Use Cinnamon That You Didn’t Know About:
1. It’s an Antibacterial and Antifungal Agent
In oil, cinnamon can be mixed with water to be used as natural disinfectant for house use. On its own, the oil can be used as a natural way to treat a stubborn athlete’s foot.
2. It Helps You Cope With Diabetes
Regulating and monitoring your blood sugar levels can be a fulltime affair. Cinnamon can help your body absorb insulin with increased efficiency, helping achieve your ideal insulin levels throughout the day.
3. It Can Mitigate Joint Pain
Prostaglandins enhance your neurons’ ability to transmit and receive pain signals. Cinnamon inhibits the presence of prostaglandins and has enough manganese to promote healthy bone growth to help you cope with arthritis.
4. Dealing with Yeast Infections
Cinnamon oil can hinder a yeast infection’s ability to become resilient to medication. It’s also a very viable natural alternative that has helped a lot of people to deal with this annoying issue.
5. It Promotes Healthy Cholesterol Levels
If you know how difficult it is to manage your low-level density lipoproteins, you probably know the complications failure can bring (reduced cardiovascular health and increased heart risks).
One gram of cinnamon incorporated into your diet helps promote healthy blood sugar levels to keep your arteries happy.
Finding the Perfect Amount
There are no strict formulas regarding the use of cinnamon. Most specialists recommend that you should not go beyond one tablespoon of powdered cinnamon per day.
If you’re using it in its oil form, results may vary. You’re best advised to check out the labels and their instructions to find the right dosage and get the most out of it.
Sources:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=68
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/expert-answers/cinnamon-lower-cholesterol/faq-20057912





