mm5057's Journal

             The Health Benefits Of Cinnamon

 Cinnamon, is one of the oldest  known spices! Cinnamon is a small tree that grows in India, Sri Lanka,Indonesia,Brazil,Vietnam and Egypt.

The bark of the Cinnamon tree is dried and rolled into sticks, also called quills or grounded into a powder.The characteristic flavor & aroma of cinnamon comes from a compound in the essential oil of the bark called cinnamonaldehyde.there are four main varities of cinnamon ceylon cinnamon and cassia cinnamon are the most popular. ceylon cinnamon is sometimes called true cinnamon, it's more expensive and has a sweet taste, the quills are softer and can be ground.Most cinnamon sold in the u.s. inthe supermarkets comes from the less expensive variety, cassia cinnamon has a dark color and the quills are harder, unlike the ceylon cinnamon,it can't be easily ground into powder.WHY do people use cinnamon? using it in cooking cinnamon is also thought to have HEALTH benefits.

 In traditional chinese medicine cassia cinnamon is used for ;

  Colds,flatulence Nausea,diarrhea,painful menstration.It is also believed to improve;

 ENERGY,Vitality and circulation and be particularly useful for people who tend to feel hot in their upper body,but have cold feet.it is a common ingredient in chi tea aand helps improve digestion of fruits milk and other dairy products.

 Cinnamon is used as a remedy for DIABETES.

Recent studies have found that cinnamon may have a beneficial effect on blood sugar.Studies published in 2003 in medical journal called diabetes care, sixty people with type 2 diabetes took 1,3 or 6 grams of cinnamon in pill form, daily, an amout equivalent to one quarter of a teaspoon to 1 teaspoon. After 40 days all 3 amounts reduced fasting blood glucose, by   18% to 29%.

  triglycerides by 23 to 30 %.

  ldl CHOLESTEROL 17 to 27 %

  total Cholesterol by 12 to 26 %.

 Preliminary lab & animal studies have found that cinnamon may have antibacterial & antifungal properties. it is active against candida albicans, the fungus that causes yeast infection and thrush and heilcobacterpylori, the bacteria responsible for stomach ulcers.

 Safety; people taking diabetes meds, should not take therapeutic doses of cinnamon,unless they're under a doctors supervision.