This signature spice of the fall season has some pretty amazing health benefits. Yes, it tastes amazing and has a long history of being an herbal remedy in various cultures around the world. Researches have even ranked it #1 out of the most popular herbs and medicinal spices, in terms of it being a powerful antioxidant.
Where do all the health benefits come from? The bark of the cinnamomum tree has amazing compounds, which promote better health. These benefits can be obtained from cinnamon’s essential oil, the pure bark, in its stick form, or in the popular ground form. So if you want something that has immune-boosting, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic properties, cinnamon is the spice that makes everything nice.
People love cinnamon for its signature smell, but let’s take a look at why you should spice up your life with cinnamon.
Improves Brain Health
Cinnamon contains two compounds, cinnamaldehyde and epicatechin, both of which inhibit the accumulation of the tau protein. While tau is present in regular cell structure, it can accumulate and scramble brain signals, which is a trademark of Alzheimer’s disease.
Protects Heart Health
Because cinnamon has strong anti-inflammatory properties, it has been proven to lower the risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and other forms of heart disease. The properties in cinnamon help to reduce bad levels of cholesterol, while keeping good cholesterol levels the same. It also helps your blood clot!
Diabetes Fighter
Cinnamon has anti-diabetic properties. By lowering blood sugar levels and increasing one’s sensitivity to insulin, which is needed for balancing blood sugar levels, it is a great herbal remedy for people with diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes have seen positive results on blood sugar markers when they used cinnamon extract.
Weight Loss Helper
Cinnamon is rich in essential minerals, like calcium and manganese, which you need everyday. Because cinnamon helps regulate the amount of blood sugar you have in your blood after a meal, it helps on your weight loss quest. Cinnamon won’t magically drop pounds for you, but it can help if you’re eating healthy and exercising. It also improves digestion, so everything can function well on the inside.
Helps Fight Allergies
The compounds and anti-inflammatory properties in cinnamon have been known to combat allergy symptoms by reducing inflammation and fighting histamine reactions. Additionally, cinnamon helps boost the immune system, which is beneficial for fighting off viruses and bacteria.
Keeps Skin Looking Healthy
Because cinnamon has incredible antimicrobial and antibiotic properties, applying essential oil of cinnamon on the skin can help relieve skin irritations. If you mix several drops of the essential oil with coconut oil and continually apply it to your skin, it will hydrate the skin and keep it looking healthy and young.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
