Ceylon cinnamon, or cinnamomum zeylanicum, was originally grown in Sri Lanka. Besides its value as a culinary spice, Ceylon cinnamon’s medicinal benefits have been valued for centuries. While some studies link Celyon cinnamon with certain helth benefits, more research is needed to back up these claims.
Source of Minerals
Cinnamon is an excellent source of iron, calcium, manganese and fiber. In the circulatory system, iron provides oxygen with bonding sites in order to facilitate transportation to other body organs. Calcium plays an important role in bone formation and is a key element in muscle contraction and exocytosis. Manganese is essential for blood sugar regulation and in normal nerve function. Cinnamon may be an effective agent in assisting in the regulation of blood sugar in the body and cholesterol control.
Anti Microbial Activity
Cinnamon has antifungal, antibacterial and antiparasitic qualities and may be effective for both internal and external infection. Cinnamon extracts may have the ability to stop the growth of yeasts resistant to commonly used anti fungal medication, flucanazole. Cinnamon can be effective against vaginal yeast infections, or candida.
Anti Clotting Agent
Cinnamon’s active constituent, cinnamic aldehyde, plays an important role in reducing the rate at which platelets clump together. Platelets are cells present in blood that clump together in the occurrence of an injury to seal up the wound in order to reduce the blood loss. Excessive clumping can hinder blood flow in the body, thus cinnamon acts as a regulating agent to this process.
Anti-inflammatory Agent
A study at Copenhagen University illustrated the effects of cinnamon as an effective anti-inflammatory agent. In the study, arthritic patients that took 1/2 teaspoon together with honey before breakfast reported a significant reduction in pain in one week and could walk without pain in one month. Anti-inflammatory agents are essential in reducing body muscle aches and inflammation on the heart due to diet, helping to prevent heart disease.
Brain Stimulant
Inhaling cinnamon scent and chewing cinnamon flavored gum may increase specific cognitive processes such as attention processing, virtual recognition memory, visual motor speed and working memory. Although not proven, cinnamon may enhance cognition in the elderly, test-anxiety prone individuals and individuals with cognitive declining diseases.
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