Is Cinnamon & Honey Good For You?

Cinnamon and honey are favorites in many recipes and they blend naturally together to create a sweet flavoring to put on toast, sweet rolls or baked apples. Both have a history of medicinal use and continue to be used today. Always talk to your health care provider before using either as an alternative treatment.

Nutritional Benefits

One teaspoon of cinnamon contains 26 mg of calcium, 0.22 mg of iron, 11 mg of potassium and 0.45 mg of manganese, according to the USDA Nutrient Database. It also has trace amounts of vitamins A, C and K. Honey has nutritional value, but the amount you'd receive in a teaspoon is minimal. One cup of honey has 20 mg of calcium, 1.42 mg of iron, 176 mg of potassium and 0.271 mg of manganese. It also delivers 1.7 mg of vitamin C, 0.13 mg of riboflavin and 0.08 mg of vitamin B-6.

Health Benefits of Cinnamon

A spice obtained from the bark of trees belonging to Cinnamomum family, cinnamon has a long history of use in traditional medicine to relieve stomach pain and gas. Cinnamon demonstrates antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial abilities. It may lower levels of fat in the blood and help treat diabetes by lowering blood sugar. The December 2009 issue of "Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism," published a review of existing studies, and concluded that cinnamon has the potential to reduce blood glucose levels after eating.

Health Benefits of Honey

Honey has long been used to treat wounds and current science supports its anti-bacterial properties. In the March 2011 issue of PLoS One, Paulus Kwakman et al., tested two different honeys and found they successfully killed four types of bacteria. A team of researchers at Virginia Tech, led by Katherine Phillips, studied the antioxidant content of sugar alternatives. The results published in the January 2009 edition of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, stated that honey has an antioxidant capacity at least 20 times higher than refined sugar, corn syrup or agave nectar.

Considerations

Cinnamon may interact with other medications or cause side effects. Do not take supplemental cinnamon if you take glucose-lowering or blood-thinning medications. If you have a hormone-sensitive cancer, or you're at a high risk for cancer, talk to your physician before using cinnamon. Products such as toothpaste or gum that contain cinnamon may cause swelling of the gums.