What do you mean by Cinnamon?
Cinnamon is full of health benefits and medicinal uses have been using for thousands of years for its ayurvedic and natural properties. Cinnamon is one of the widely used household spices. Its home remedy is of greater significance, plays an important role in conditions like loss of appetite, indigestion, dental pain, and also used as a deodorant. It’s an evergreen plant with 9-12 meters in height. The flowers are small and in a long term. The parts used of cinnamon are dried inner bark of shoots, dried branches, and oil. Due to the presence of plenty of antioxidants, it is also regarded as superfoods.
10 impressive health benefits of cinnamon
- Antioxidant: It has an adequate amount of antioxidants named polyphenols, which protects the body from free radicals thus good to fight off diseases.
- Hair health: The superfood spice is also widely used in the cosmetic industry for fragrant hair washes and bath powders.
- Anti-inflammatory: In a recent study, it has been found that the spice is used against inflammation to fight infections and tissue health. Thus, its use is beneficial during viral infections including coronavirus and covid-19 patients.
- Skin glowing: The application of pastes on the face helps to minimize the impact of depigmentation. However, it should be washed immediately (within 2 minutes) as it irritates the skin.
- Penile erection: The massage of cinnamon oil on the penile region helps to treat penile erection dysfunction.
- Cut the risk of heart disease: Research has been shown that the use of cinnamon reduces bad cholesterol and triglycerides and also reduces blood pressure.
- Reduce insulin resistance: The use of medicinal spice dramatically reduces insulin resistance, thus good for type 2 diabetes thus increase insulin sensitivity.
- Anti-diabetic effect: It is useful in lowering blood sugar. It has been found that it decreases the amount of sugar that enters into your blood just after the meal because of interference with digestive enzymes.
- Teeth pain: Cinnamon oil is good to treat teeth pain. For this, soak the cotton swab in cinnamon oil and place it in the dental cavities. It not only reduces the pain but also minimizes the infection. Chewing of cinnamon is also good to strengthen the teeth, refreshes the mouth, and overcome bad breathe.
- Menstrual bleeding: The use of cinnamon with Ashokarishta ensures to curb heavy menstrual bleeding.
7 medicinal uses of cinnamon
- Neurodegenerative diseases: A study was conducted in mice wherein it was found cinnamon helped protect neurons and improved motor function. Thus, it helps to fight Alzheimer’s.
- Joint pain: The regular massage of cinnamon oil on joints helps to relieve pain and swelling in these areas.
- Voice clarity: The decoction of cinnamon, coriander seeds, and dried ginger when taken 2tbsp, 3 times daily is helpful to treat hoarseness of voice. It is also effective in case of cough, asthma, and pleurisy.
- Promotes appetite: The combination of cinnamon, cardamom, and Tamalpatra used in the preparation of medicated wines, which helps to promote appetite and ensures good digestion.
- Cough remedy: The decoction of cinnamon and Piper longum if taken 3 tbsp, 3 times daily is helpful in relieving cough especially due to Kapha.
- Dysentery: Take the mix of cinnamon powder, Shorea robusta, and the pulp of raw Aegle marmelos fruits in 1: 1:12 proportions. Take this mixture 1tbsp, 3 times daily along with curd and little jaggery. It helps to abate dysentery.
- Anti-cancerous: It has been studied that cinnamon is used in the prevention and treatment of cancer.
10 important facts about cinnamon
- Cinnamon has a long history of thousands of years.
- It first can be traced to the Torah and the Jewish religious texts.
- The Chinese and the Roman were also well versed in its medicinal values.
- Ayurvedic textbooks have also elaborate descriptions of this important herb.
- Every part of the plant emanates aroma after getting bruised.
- The bark shrinks and curls into a cylinder when it becomes dry.
- The spice comes from the inner bark of trees called Cinnamomum.
- Earlier, it was regarded as a gift pack of kings.
- The distinct flavor of the spice goes to the biological compound called cinnamaldehyde, which has a huge impact on health.
- It is used in the preparation of Mexican chocolate, Persian cuisine, and chocolate.
Cinnamon ayurvedic properties
- Taste: Pungent, bitter, and sweet
- Post digestive effect: Pungent
- Potency: Hot
- Attributes: Light, dry and sharp
- Dosha: Alleviates Kapha and Vata, aggravates Pitta
- Natural use: It’s a natural preservative.
Nutritional facts of cinnamon
Cinnamon is full of minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients. It is loaded with so many macro and micro-nutrients. The 100 gram of cinnamon is having: Energy (247 Kcal ), Carbohydrate (80.6g), Sugars (2.2g), Dietary fiber (53.1g), Fat (1.2g), Protein (4g), Vitamins (A, B complex, C, E & K) and minerals like Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorous, Potassium, Sodium, and Zinc.
Species of cinnamon
The different species of cinnamon are given below:
- Cinnamomum cassia: it is the most common form of cinnamon
- Burmanni
- Loureiroi
- Verum
- Citriodorum
Side effects of cinnamon
- It has been seen that large use of cinnamon leads to liver problems.
- Research has also shown that the presence of coumarin may increase the risk of certain cancers.
- Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde, which may cause mouth sores if it is taken in excess quantity.
- Taking too much cinnamon may help lower blood sugar.
- Eating cinnamon powder may cause breathing problems as these finer particles easily enter the respiratory tract and cause coughing and gagging.
- The taking of cinnamon may interact with the medicines of heart disease, sugar, and liver.
