Cinnamon is the perfect spice to add to your favorite recipes, especially in the fall and winter months. It has quite an interesting history and was a prized possession in many ancient civilizations. Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices known to mankind, there are even references to it in the Bible. In ancient Egypt it was used as a spice, embalming agent, and medicine. In fact, it was valued even more than gold!
There are many reasons to add cinnamon to your food. It not only tastes amazing, but also has a whole host of health benefits. According to Organic Authority, some of these include:
Preventing blood clots: The cinnamaldehyde found in cinnamon is an effective anti-clotting agent. Cinnamaldehyde lowers the release of the fatty acid arachidonic, which prevents platelets from clumping together and creating clots.
Anti-microbial: Cinnamon has amazing anti-microbial properties to stop the growth of harmful bacterial. Cinnamon is so effective in preventing bacterial growth that some food manufactures are using it as a natural preservative instead of the nasty cancer causing preservatives that are traditionally used.
Stabilizing blood sugar: Adding cinnamon to your food slows the pace at which your stomach empties after a meal. This helps to prevent a rise in blood sugar to prevent those hunger pangs and sugar cravings. With those suffering from Type 2 diabetes, even a half-teaspoon of cinnamon a day can lower blood sugar levels. Incredible!
Improved brain activity: Love the smell of cinnamon? Even a sniff of this spice has been proven to boost brain activity. In a scientific study, those whole smelled cinnamon preformed better on “attentional processes, virtual recognition memory, working memory, and visual-motor speed.” Sounds easier than downing a cup off coffee!
Warming affect: You know that warm, fuzzy feeling you get after eating cinnamon in the winter months. This is not a coincidence. Ancient Chinese medicine has recognized this effect for centuries and commonly uses cinnamon mixed with ginger to treat cold and flu symptoms.
You may be wondering, “Where does this spice come from?” Cinnamon comes from the cinnamon tree. The cinnamon tree—with its’ tall stature and green leaves, looks similar to a regular old tree you’d see out on a hike. Cinnamon is derived from the bark, which rolls off in tubes called quills. You can buy cinnamon in quills or ground up to sprinkle on your food.
photo credit: jacobimages.com
Time to start adding cinnamon to your recipes. We have some delicious dishes to get you started. Try our Greek Yogurt Cinnamon Coffee Cake or our Vanilla Cinnamon Protein Pancakes for you next breakfast. We promise you won’t be disappointed!