Explore the health benefits of cinnamon and cinnamon side effects. Cinnamon, the aromatic spice has been used for its flavor and medicinal properties for centuries. Cinnamon contains manganese, iron, dietary fibre, calcium, vitamins A, B, C, E, K, and other ingredients such as polyphenols and antioxidants, which gives cinnamon anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer and properties. how to grow cinnamon at home | How to grow Cinnamon from seeds video
Cinnamon Benefits
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| Cinnamon Powder and Stick |
recently shown the benefits of cinnamon in the treatment of diabetes, arthritis and arteriosclerosis [1, 2]. Cinnamon has also been reported to be effective against neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases [3].
Cinnamon is a powerhouse of health-promoting compounds that offer a multitude of benefits, including regulating blood sugar levels, combating inflammation and improving heart health and cognitive function. Cinnamon can also benefit in weight loss, belly fat management, skin improvement, fertility, etc.
By incorporating cinnamon into your diet, you can harness its healing properties and enhance your health.
Antioxidant Properties
Cinnamon is rich in potent antioxidants, including polyphenols, which protect against harmful free radicals preventing the development of chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, and neurodegenerative disorders. Regular consumption of cinnamon may therefore benefit overall health and improve longevity by reducing the risk of chronic illnesses [4].
Anti-inflammatory Properties
Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties. Chronic inflammation can lead to various health problems, including arthritis, cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.
The anti-inflammatory properties in cinnamon are due to the presence of compounds like cinnamaldehyde and cinnamic acid. These bioactive compounds reduce inflammation in body and prevent its associated health risks. Including cinnamon into your diet may thus reduce inflammation and promote better overall health [5, 6].
Blood Sugar Regulation
Research has shown the ability of cinnamon to help regulate blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that cinnamon can improve insulin sensitivity and decreasing blood sugar levels after meals, making it beneficial for individuals with insulin resistance and diabetes. By eating cinnamon can reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications.
Cinnamon has been shown to reduce fasting blood glucose levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The results of this study demonstrate that intake of 1, 3, or 6 g of cinnamon per day reduces serum glucose, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes and suggest that the inclusion of cinnamon in the diet of people with type 2 diabetes will reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases [7].
Potential Effects Against Cancer
Some studies suggest benefits of cinnamon against cancer. Research has revealed that cinnamon could potentially be used in cancer prevention [8], can inhibit tumor growth [9].
Cinnamon Benefits for Neurological Disorders
Research suggests that cinnamon may have neuroprotective effects, so it has benefits in cognitive function [3]. Studies on animals have demonstrated that cinnamon may help improve memory, enhance cognitive performance, and protect against decline in brain function [10].
Cinnamon Advantage For Heart Health
Cinnamon may reduce heart disease risk and benefit heart health in several ways. It can help lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides, while increasing HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
Consuming cinnamon can reduce the build up of plaque in arteries. Thus, cinnamon reduces the risk of In addition, its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may help prevent endothelial dysfunction, a precursor to cardiovascular problems.
Incorporating Cinnamon into Your Diet
Adding cinnamon to your daily diet is easy. You can include cinnamon into your diet by adding it to smoothies, yogurt, oatmeal or baked goods to make them delicious. I always add some cinnamon powder in my green tea. You can also use cinnamon to spice up curries, roasted vegetables, soups and stews.
Which type of cinnamon is best? And what is the Safe Limit?
Cinnamon is generally safe to use in small amounts as a spice. The cinnamon contains a compound called as coumarin, which is harmful to your liver in large amounts. Ceylon cinnamon has only trace amounts of coumarin as compared to that in Cassia cinnamon. So Ceylon cinnamon is a safer option for your spice rack. The recommended amount is 0.1 mg of coumarin per 1 kg or 2.2 lb of body weight or about half a teaspoon a day [11].
The US Department of Agriculture suggests that half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day or less is generally safe and may beneficial to your health.
Side effects of Cinnamon
Although cinnamon is safe as a spice, however, its excess use may be a health risk. The most common side effect is disorders of the stomach and bowels [12].
Eating too much Cassia cinnamon has been linked to many other side effects. It may cause liver damage, mouth sores, breathing problems, etc. As mentioned above, eating cinnamon may help lower your blood sugar, eating too much may cause it to fall too low and develop hypoglycaemia. This can lead to tiredness, dizziness, and possibly fainting.
There isn’t much known about the effect on a fetus from consuming cinnamon during pregnancy or nursing.
Video on Growing Cinnamon Tree
How to grow Cinnamon at home youtube video
References
1. Hariri M., Ghiasvand R. Cinnamon and chronic diseases. Drug discovery from mother nature, Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 2016;929:1–25.
2. Sharifi-Rad J, Dey A, Koirala N, Shaheen S, El Omari ., Salehi B., Goloshvili T, Cirone Silva NC, Bouyahya A, Vitalini S, Cinnamomum species: Bridging phytochemistry knowledge, pharmacological properties and toxicological safety for health benefits. Front. Pharmacol. 2021;12:600139. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.600139.
3. Rao PV, Gan SH. Cinnamon: a multifaceted medicinal plant, Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014;2014:642942. doi: 10.1155/2014/642942. Epub 2014 Apr 10. PMID: 24817901; PMCID: PMC4003790.
4. Shobana S, Akhilender Naidu K, Antioxidant activity of selected Indian spices, Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids. 2000;62(2):107–110.
5. Nabavi SF, Di Lorenzo A, Izadi M, Sobarzo-Sánchez E, Daglia M, Nabavi SM. Antibacterial Effects of Cinnamon: From Farm to Food, Cosmetic and Pharmaceutical Industries, Nutrients. 2015 Sep 11;7(9):7729-48. doi: 10.3390/nu7095359. PMID: 26378575; PMCID: PMC4586554.
6. Chao LK, Hua K-F, Hsu H-Y, Cheng S-S, Liu J-Y, Chang S-T. Study on the Anti-inflammatory activity of essential oil from leaves of Cinnamomum osmophloeum . Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2005;53(18):7274–7278. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4003790/#B34
7. Khan A, Safdar M, Ali Khan MM, Khattak KN, Anderson RA, Cinnamon improves glucose and lipids of people with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care, 2003 Dec;26(12):3215-8.
8. Lu J, Zhang K, Nam S, Anderson RA, Jove R, Wen W, Novel angiogenesis inhibitory activity in cinnamon extract blocks VEGFR2 kinase and downstream signaling, Carcinogenesis. 2010;31(3):481–488.
9. Jeong H-W, Han DC, Son K-H, et al. Antitumor effect of the cinnamaldehyde derivative CB403 through the arrest of cell cycle progression in the G2/M phase. Biochemical Pharmacology. 2003;65(8):1343–1350. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4003790/#B120
10. Jana A, Modi KK, Roy A, Anderson JA, van Breemen RB, Pahan K. Up-regulation of neurotrophic factors by cinnamon and its metabolite sodium benzoate: therapeutic implications for neurodegenerative disorders, Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology. 2013;8(3):739–755.
11. Abraham K., Wöhrlin F., Lindtner O., Heinemeyer G., Lampen A. Toxicology and risk assessment of coumarin: Focus on human data, Mol. Nutr. Food Res. 2010;54:228–239. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200900281. , https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8433798/#B11-molecules-26-05299
12. Hajimonfarednejad M., Ostovar M., Raee M.J., Hashempurd M.H., Mayer J.G., Heydari M. Cinnamon: A systematic review of adverse events. Clin. Nutr. 2018;38:594–602. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2018.03.013.