Does Cinnamon Make You Fat? 2/22

 

Who doesn't like the aroma or taste of cinnamon? This tasty spice is popular around the world, but the effects of cinnamon extend far beyond being just a tasty spice you add to your morning cup of coffee. Among its many beneficial health effects, cinnamon improves colon health, which can help prevent the third leading cause of cancer death, colon cancer. Cinnamon also exerts coagulant effects that help stop bleeding. In women, it increases blood circulation within the uterus and aids in tissue regeneration processes. Although it's best known as a tasty and pungent spice, the oil content of natural cinnamon provides some potent health effects. These include antimicrobial and antifungal effects; potent antioxidant effects; and antidiabetic effects. Cinnamon has been used as an anti-inflammatory,  antitermitic , nematicidal, mosquito larvicidal, insecticidal, antimycotic, and anticancer agent. Cinnamon has also been traditionally used as tooth powder and to treat toothaches, dental problems, oral microbiota, and bad breath.

The use of cinnamon for these purposes isn't new and its use dates back to ancient Egypt. In those days, cinnamon was considered a rare and valuable spice so prized that it was often given as a gift to kings and other royalty. Although cinnamon encompasses over 250 species, the two main forms of cinnamon that are available as both spice and supplements are:

• Ceylon cinnamon: Also known as “true” cinnamon.
• Cassia cinnamon: The more common variety today and what people generally refer to as “cinnamon.”

Most of the supplement forms of cinnamon contain the Cassia form, which is the less desirable form of cinnamon, but it is also less expensive compared to the Ceylon cinnamon. But as will be later discussed, the Ceylon form offers a few notable advantages over the Cassia form. Cinnamon is made by cutting the stems of cinnamon trees. The inner bark is then extracted and the woody parts removed. When it dries, it forms strips that curl into rolls, called cinnamon sticks. These sticks can be ground to form cinnamon powder. The distinct smell and flavor of cinnamon are due to the oily part, which is very high in the compound cinnamaldehyde.

Antioxidants such as vitamins C and E are popular supplements, but few people know that cinnamon also exerts potent antioxidant effects.  The antioxidant power of cinnamon is due to its content of polyphenols, natural antioxidants that provide a plethora of health benefits. Indeed, one study that compared the antioxidant activity of 26 spices found that cinnamon made the top of the list, offering greater antioxidant benefits than other well-known substances such as garlic and oregano. Indeed, this antioxidant power of cinnamon is so potent that is can be used as a food preservative to help prevent premature oxidation. One study of Cassia cinnamon found that it provided greater antioxidant activity than vitamin E. Another study found that . . .