10 Scientific Reasons To Add Cinnamon To Your Diet

[madokie]

The delectable spice has amazing healing propensities you may not be aware of.

Many of us love to sprinkle cinnamon over our toast, drink it in our beverages, devour it in pastry desserts and cook with it for aromatic flavor, but did you know this exotic spice which comes from the dried inner bark of a tropical evergreen tree has been used medicinally since ancient times due to its healing propensities. In fact, cinnamon is one of the most common and popular ingredients in homeopathic medicine today, treating everything from muscle spasms and vomiting to loss of appetite and erectile dysfunction.

Yet, the veracity of its health benefits continue to be hotly debated in medical circles, particularly over an ingredient called coumarin which has been linked to liver damage in a small number of people when taken in high dosages. What’s more, there has been no consensus over what are ‘safe’ levels for consumption or which variety is more beneficial. Consequently, the FDA has yet to approve the use of the spice for medical purposes.

Nonetheless, there have been dozens of promising medical studies illustrating that when taken in moderation, cinnamon offers a variety of health benefits that make it well worth adding to your diet. So here’s a list of 10 scientifically backed reasons why it’s time for you to spice up your life with some sassy cinnamon.

1. Controls Blood Sugar Levels. Research shows cinnamon can lower blood sugar levels in those who have Type 2 diabetes and may prevent insulin resistance. In fact, a 2003 study found that cinnamon improved glucose and lipid levels in patients with Type 2 diabetes and reduced risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease. Cassia cinnamon, found in the grocery store, was determined to be more effective than the Ceylon variety in as far as controlling blood sugar levels even though Ceylon was considered safer because it has far less coumarin. Yet, whether Ceylon offers the same health benefits to diabetic patients remain inconclusive.

http://www.alternet.org/food/10-scientific-reasons-add-cinnamon-your-diet?paging=off&current_page=1#bookmark

[mucifer]

1. I sprinkle it in my coffee grinds before I put the water in.

Makes the coffee yummy!

[Laelth]

2. Cinnamon rocks! Try a little in fajita meat. k&r n/t

-Laelth

[My Good Babushka]

3. No more than 1/4 teaspoon a day

or else it can affect your liver enzymes.
Don't overdo it.