Facts About Honey & Cinnamon

Cinnamon and honey don't just add sweet, delicious taste to cereals, cakes and candy. In fact, they may offer real health benefits, too. Some studies suggest that cinnamon may help control blood sugar levels and act as an anti-inflammatory. Honey contains a rich variety of vitamins and minerals, as well as substances that ward off microbes and bacteria -- which give honey a longer shelf life than other natural products and may help fight infections.

Cinnamon

The cinnamon plant originated in southeast Asia. While a live, growing cinnamon plant has light green leaves, most people are familiar with the inner bark of the plant. The bark is rolled into stick-like lengths and then dried to make the familiar aromatic spice used in foods and herbal remedies. Other parts of the plant, such as the leaves and outer bark, may feature in teas and essential oils. Cinnamon produces a sweet, strong taste and aroma.

Cinnamon and Diabetes

Some evidence points to benefits of cinnamon for people with diabetes, particularly type 2. For example, a 2009 study published in the "Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine" found that people with type 2 diabetes who took 1 g of cinnamon supplements per day for three months had improved blood sugar levels. Cinnamon cannot cure diabetes, however, and isn't a replacement for an overall strategy of blood sugar monitoring, healthy diet and regular exercise. Consult your doctor before using cinnamon as a supplement.

Honey

Honey varies in taste and texture depending on the type of bee and the nectar it uses to make the honey. This also changes the carbohydrate content of the honey. For example, honey's glycemic index can range from 32 to 85, according to the type. The main carbohydrates in honey include the natural sugars fructose and glucose, which give honey its sweetness and stickiness. Honey also contains many vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins and vitamin A, as well as magnesium, calcium, iron and sulphur.

Honey Benefits

According to a 2010 study published in "Current Aging Society," honey contains some antimocrobial substances that may help heal wounds. The study also found a lower mortality rate over 25 years in men who regularly ate honey than in those who did not, though this is based on a statistically small sample. Honey may also help both soothe a sore throat and suppress coughing. For example, giving children 2 tsp. of honey before bed helps minimize nighttime coughing; however, avoid giving honey to children under 1 year old, because of the risk of infant botulism.