Health benefits of cinnamon

We find the evidence backed with research citations on why Cinnamon Spice maybe the solution for Diabetes, Candida, Weight loss, Cancer, Alzheimer's, Toenail fungus, Parkinson's, Stomach flu and much more. Take a closer look at the evidence. The benefits of cinnamon are compelling.
Cinnamon is a highly delicious spice.
Cinnamon is a powerful spice that has been used medicinally around the world for thousands of years. It is still used daily in many cultures because of its widespread health benefits, not to mention its distinctly sweet, warming taste and ease of use in recipes.
According to researchers, out of twenty-six of the most popular herbs and medicinal spices in the world, cinnamon actually ranks #1 in terms of its protective antioxidant levels!
It has been prized for its medicinal properties for thousands of years.
Cinnamon is a spice that comes from the branches of wild trees that belong to the genus "Cinnamomum" - native to the Caribbean, South America, and Southeast Asia.

Arthritis/Osteoporosis –

The widely cited Copenhagen university study is a hoax. Most of the evidence that Cinnamon helps arthritis is from personal testimonials. Some people claim drinking Cinnamon tea helps the pain from arthritis while others claim a Cinnamon Oil based massage oil helps ease the pain.
What we do know is that Cinnamon has high levels (73% DV in two sticks of Cinnamon) of Manganese which is used to build bones, blood and other connective tissues, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The body needs manganese for optimal bone health, so people who are deficient in the mineral are more likely to develop osteoporosis. Of course another factor causing Osteoporosis may be excessive dairy consumption.
A study in 2008 listed in this pdf found that Aldehyde components of Ceylon Cinnamon bark extract suppresses RANKL-induced osteo clastogenesis through NFATc1 down regulation.
Here are some benefits of cinnamon that are supported by scientific research.

Cinnamon may help treat Type 2 diabetes

.While it’s true that there’s no cure for Type 2 diabetes, cinnamon can be an effective tool in managing the disease.According to Lori Kenyon Farley, a Certified Nutrition Consultant specializing in wellness, fitness and anti-aging and one of the experts behind Project Juice, cinnamon can help manage this disease in two different ways. “It can reduce blood pressure and have a positive effect on blood markers for those with Type 2 diabetes,” she explains. Cinnamon can also reduce insulin resistance, which, Farley explains, “has been shown to lower fasting blood sugar levels by up to 29%, which can reduce the instance of Type 2 diabetes.”
Shane Ellison, MS, a medicinal chemist and founder of the Sugar Detox, explains how exactly this works. “(Cinnamon) works directly on the muscle cells to force them to remove sugar from the bloodstream, where it is converted to energy,” he says. “It’s even shown to work better than most prescription meds.”


The key is in increasing insulin sensitivity in the body, a sensitivity that, while present at birth for those without type 1 diabetes, slowly decreases as we age and consume more sugar. As a result, sugar floats around in the blood, causing diabetes and other health problems. “Cinnamon, which is completely non-toxic, repairs the receptors so they are once again responsive to insulin,” Ellison explains. “In time, sugar levels normalize due to an increase in insulin sensitivity.”
Add to this the fact that cinnamon has a naturally sweet taste that is devoid of sugar, making it a great addition to foods like plain yogurt as a dessert or snack, and you’ll soon see why we suggest it as a staple for the pantries of those with Type 2 diabetes.

Blood Sugar Control –

 Several studies have found that Cinnamon has properties that help those with insulin resistance. It is therefore very popular with Type 2 diabetics who take it to control their blood sugar variations.
Ceylon Cinnamon is particularly popular because it has low levels of Coumarin. compared to Cassia Cinnamon found in your grocery store. In case you did not know, Coumarin in high doses can cause liver damage. This study found Cassia Cinnamon was more effective than Ceylon Cinnamon at controlling blood sugar for a given amount of Cinnamon. An easy solution is to therefore double your dosage of Ceylon Cinnamon, since even doubling the dosage will not come close to the high Coumarin levels found in Cassia Cinnamon.

Better heart health

In a recent study from Penn State, researchers found that a diet rich in spices, like cinnamon and turmeric, helped curb the negative effects of downing a fatty meal. After a high-fat meal, levels of fats in your blood known as triglycerides rise, and chronically high triglycerides raise the risk of heart disease. In this small study (in just six overweight but otherwise healthy men between 30 and 65) the results of adding spices were significant. On two separate days, volunteers added two tablespoons of spices, including cinnamon, to a fatty meal, which was tested against an identical control meal without spices. Blood samples drawn after meals revealed that in addition to 13% higher blood antioxidant levels, the spices reduced triglycerides by about 30%
Cinnamon has been linked with reduced risk of heart disease, the world’s most common cause of premature death.
In people with type 2 diabetes, 1 gram of cinnamon per day has beneficial effects on blood markers.
It reduces levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, while HDL cholesterol remains stable
More recently, a big review study concluded that a cinnamon dose of just 120 milligrams per day can have these effects. In this study, cinnamon also increased HDL (the “good”) cholesterol .
In animal studies, cinnamon has been shown to reduce blood pressure
When combined, all these factors may drastically cut the risk of heart disease.

Alzheimer's disease

Tel Aviv University researchers discovered that cinnamon may help prevent Alzheimer's disease. According to Prof. Michael Ovadia, of the Department of Zoology at Tel Aviv University, an extract found in cinnamon bark, called CEppt, contains properties that can inhibit the development of the disease.

Multiple Sclerosis

Cinnamon may help stop the destructive process of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a neurological scientist at Rush University Medical Center. Cinnamon could help eliminate the need to take some expensive and unpleasant drugs
Lower the negative effects of high fat meals
Penn State researchers revealed that diets rich in cinnamon can help reduce the body's negative responses to eating high-fat meals

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) – 

As a digestive cinnamon dramatically reduces the uncomfortable feelings associated with IBS especially the bloating. It does this by killing bacteria and healing 
infections in the GI tract and enabling the gastric juices to work normally. A Swiss study showed that Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil has promising results for H. Pylori, a bacteria that causes Peptic ulcers and stomach cancer. But if you do have stomach cramps or upsets, a cup of Cinnamon tea 2-3 times per day will dramatically reduce the pain. Some people have asked if cinnamon gives you gas. No it does not. It actually helps reduce gas and bloating.

Cinnamon Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Inflammation in the body is incredibly important.
It helps the body fight infections and repair tissue damage.
However, inflammation can become a problem when it is chronic (long-term) and directed against the body’s own tissues.
Cinnamon may be useful in this regard, because some studies show that the antioxidants in it have potent anti-inflammatory activity
The antioxidants in cinnamon have anti-inflammatory effects, which may help lower the risk of disease.
Cinnamon May Have Beneficial Effects on Neurodegenerative Diseases
Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by progressive loss of the structure or function of brain cells.
Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease are two of the most common types.
Two compounds found in cinnamon appear to inhibit the buildup of a protein called tau in the brain, which is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease In a study looking at mice with Parkinson’s disease, cinnamon helped to protect neurons, normalize 
neurotransmitter levels and improve motor function .
These effects need to be studied further in humans.
Cinnamon has been shown to lead to various improvements for Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease in animal studies

Better brain function

Research shows that just smelling cinnamon enhances cognitive processing, but consuming it significantly ups brain function. Scientists at Wheeling Jesuit University asked volunteers to c
omplete computer-based tasks while chewing no gum, plain gum, or gum flavored with cinnamon, peppermint, or jasmine. Cognitive processing was boosted the most in those given cinnamon, which sped up visual-motor responses and improved attention scores. This aromatic spice may also help the brain heal. One study from scientists at the Agricultural Research Service found that cinnamon extract prevented brain cells from swelling in the ways typically seen after a traumatic brain injury or stroke.

Risks of taking cinnamon

Side effects. Cinnamon usually causes no side effects. Heavy use of cinnamon may irritate the mouth and lips, causing sores. In some people, it can cause an allergic reaction. Applied to the skin, it might cause redness and irritation.
Risks. Very high quantities of cassia cinnamon may be toxic, particularly in people withliver problems. Because cinnamon may lower blood sugar, people with diabetes may need to adjust their treatment if they use cinnamon supplements. An ingredient in some cinnamon products, coumarin, may cause liver problems. Given the lack of evidence about its safety, cinnamon -- as a treatment -- is not recommended for children or for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Multiple Sclerosis

Cinnamon may help stop the destructive process of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a neurological scientist at Rush University Medical Center. Cinnamon could help eliminate the need to take some expensive and unpleasant drugs. Treating and healing chronic wounds
Research published in the journal ACS Nano suggests that scientists have found a way to package antimicrobial compounds from peppermint and cinnamon in tiny capsules that can both kill biofilms and actively promote healing

Cancer Preventer –

 Research shows that Cinnamon oil is a promising solution in the treatment of Tumors, Gastric Cancers and Melanomas. Research studies show that sugar maybe causing or sustaining cancer cells and cinnamon may have a mitigating effect by controlling blood sugar levels in the body. Another study found good results with leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.
Cinnamon in its various forms has two chemical constituents called Cinnamaldehyde and Eugenol (From Cinnamon Oil). These have been used to develop nutraceuticals in this studythat have proven fairly effective in fighting Human Colon Cancer Cells (Eugenol) and Human hepatoma cells (Cinnamaldehyde). So the evidence seems to suggest that Cinnamon is starving cancer cells of the sugar needed to sustain them. This University of Arizona studyfound that the cinnamaldehyde component of cinnamon was a potent colorectal cancer fighter.

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