Cinnamon a Valuable Spice for Your Health

In common folklore and Biblical tales as well, cinnamon is as useful as it is valuable. Highly prized for its ability to flavor a variety of foods, this spice is a staple in almost every kitchen has significant healing properties.

The use of cinnamon as a common remedy for digestive disorders, respiratory ailments and the flu was recorded by the Chinese in 2800 B.C. The value of cinnamon was noted in 1 A.D. to be worth more than 5 kg of silver.

cinnamon comes from a small tree that is indigenous to the countries of India, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. But the size of the tree does not reveal the abundant health benefits cinnamon provides. One small teaspoon of ground cinnamon contains; 28 mg of calcium along with vitamin C, vitamin E, 1 mg of iron, fiber and trace minerals.

Besides adding a wonderful flavor to foods, research by Dr. Richard A. Anderson of the Beltsville Human Nutritional Research Center in Maryland discovered that cinnamon provided health benefits to people suffering from type II diabetes.

Dr. Anderson conducted a research study with 60 people diagnosed to be diabetic. In the study individuals were given a placebo along with capsules containing between 1 and 6 g of cinnamon every day for 40 days.

The results of the study showed that individuals who received the cinnamon capsules experienced a drop in their glucose level of 30%, while the individuals who received the placebo experienced no change in their glucose levels at all. The conclusion is that cinnamon behaves very similar to insulin.

In addition cinnamon is noted for its ability to reduce high cholesterol levels. A research study was conducted in Pakistan with 60 individuals with type 2 diabetes. Over a 40 day period of time these individuals were treated with cinnamon and monitored closely. At the end of the study is was discovered that cinnamon amounts as small as one quarter of a teaspoon taken twice daily was effective in lowering LDL cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

To improve your mental acuity, using cinnamon on a daily basis increases your ability to focus and improves memory capacity. In addition, this spice contains antiseptic properties that aid the digestion, and inhibits harmful bacteria that cause yeast and urinary tract infections.

To achieve the best results from using cinnamon, it's important to keep in mind that ground cinnamon loses its healing properties after approximately 6 months. The best way to receive maximum benefit from using cinnamon is to purchase a high-quality grade such as the cinnamon produced by Rawleigh products. This company imports their cinnamon from Sri Lanka and uses a special method to retain the essential oils of the spice.