What are 5 Health Benefits of Consuming Cinnamon?

There are two types of cinnamon: Ceylon (true cinnamon) and Cassia (more common variety found in most supermarkets). Cinnamon is a spice that is made from the inner bark of trees known as Cinnamomum. Cinnamon is high in cinnamaldehyde, which is thought to be responsible for most of cinnamon’s health benefits.

Ceylon is thought to contain more health benefits than Cassia. The Cassia variety contains significant amounts of a compound called coumarin, which is believed to be harmful  in large doses. All cinnamon should have health benefits and Ceylon is much better in this regard, and studies show that it’s much lower in coumarin than the Cassia variety.

Five possible benefits of consuming Cinnamon are:

1. Antioxidants

Antioxidants protect your body from oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Cinnamon is full of powerful antioxidants, such as polyphenols.

2. Anti-Inflammatory

3. Blood Sugar Levels

Cinnamon is well known for its blood-sugar-lowering properties. Apart from the beneficial effects on insulin resistance, cinnamon can lower blood sugar. Firstly, cinnamon has been shown to decrease the amount of glucose that enters your bloodstream after a meal. It does this by interfering with numerous digestive enzymes, which slows the breakdown of carbohydrates in your digestive tract. Secondly, a compound in cinnamon can act on cells by mimicking insulin which greatly improves glucose uptake by your cells, though it acts much slower than insulin itself.

4. Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases are defined by the progressive loss of the structure or function of brain cells. Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease are two of the most common types. Two compounds found in cinnamon appear to inhibit the buildup of a protein called tau in the brain, which is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.

5. Bacterial and Fungal Infections - Cinnamaldehyde, one of the main active components of cinnamon may help fight various sorts of infection. Cinnamon oil has been shown to effectively treat respiratory tract infections caused by fungi.