Everybody's favorite guilty pleasure used to be a gooey, fresh-off-the pan, cinnamon bun or two after the morning workout--which led to fast food giants like Cinnabon making a name for themselves while other bakeries in the U.S. were making their own house brand concoctions of the gooey-sugary roll coated in cinnamon and drenched with frosting or cream cheese.
Today, cinnamon is known as more than just a part of a sinful snack treat: it is the most powerful healing spice among all 26 spices studied by health researchers. Which makes us love gorging on those freshly, baked hot buns off the pan all the more.
Among the two available classes of commercial cinnamon, it is Ceylon cinnamon that is supposed to be the superior version for healthy food while the Cassia version is used for commercial baking and candy making. Ceylon cinnamon is supposed to have more antioxidants and is also beneficial to those who suffer from asthma, allergies and other ailments. In Chinese, Ayurvedic and Biblical texts, cinnamon is one spice that is part of ancient food and healing practices.
Indians are among the world's heavy users of cinnamon in their diets and are less susceptible to cancer than most other cultures.
Healing Properties of Cinnamon
As the antioxidant king of spices, Ceylon cinnamon has phyto-chemicals called cinnamaldehyde which protect against DNA damage and cell mutation by bonding with free radicals. The compound also kills off cancer cells.
Cinnamon activates neuro-protective proteins that protect brain cells from mutation and undergoing damage
cinnamon helps combat heart disease and lowers bad LDL cholesterol levels, which those with diabetes are more at risk for developing.
Cinnamon's compounds reduce stress, help you lose weight, prevent diabetes, and even enhance your mood and sex drive--as a natural aphrodisiac stimulant. Helpful for arthritis and other inflammation ailments, cinnamon like ginger fights inflammation naturally.
The analgesic activity of cinnamon is comparable to aspirin.
As treatment for internal pathogens and parasites, cinnamon can be effective with against Staphylococcus aureus, E coli and Salmonella
and is a very good antifungal topical and internal agent. Cinnamic aldehyde was identified as the active fungitoxic chemical in cinnamon bark oil.
Since it can treat digestive disorders, it is highly effective as a sweet warm tea with honey and ginger for any internal ailment. From colds to fevers even.
Indians use cinnamon as a preservative for their foods and breads while also using it to remove odors from cooking areas and also as a reliable mouthwash ingredient for killing germs and keeping teeth healthy. People with allergies can imbibe cinnamon tea too to reduce sneezing, skin problems and even asthma attacks. Along with turmeric, cinnamon as part of Indian and South Asian diets and Chinese food medicine has been documented by health researchers to be a powerful and legit food healing regimen.
Next time your mom or lola makes your room or kitchen or living room smell like cinnamon, don't complain. It will keep you from catching sneezing fits and kill off aerial and surface vriuses and germs that cause the colds and flu.
