Health Benefits of Cinnamon

Known for its trademark aroma and many health benefits, cinnamon has enjoyed sustained popularity for centuries. Today, it remains one of the most commonly used spices worldwide . Cinnamon is prepared from the dried inner bark of evergreen trees in the genus Cinnamomum, which are native to China, India, and Southeast Asia . When dried, the brown bark of the tree rolls into a tube-like shape known as a quill. It is then sold either in its whole quill form (cinnamon sticks) or as ground powder. The first mentions of cinnamon date back to antiquity, with references found in the Bible and in the histories of ancient China, Egypt, Rome, and medieval Europe. There is evidence that cinnamon was used for medicinal purposes in China as far back as the third millennium B.C. , and many ancient societies used cinnamon to treat ailments ranging from bronchitis to gastrointestinal problems, loss of appetite, and even to control of diabetes . One study found that capsules containing 1 gram of standard, off-the-shelf cinnamon per day, over a 90-day period, significantly lowered blood sugar markers. Cinnamon can provide a health boost by allowing you to decrease the amount of added sugar in the foods you commonly consume. There are no shortage of items on which cinnamon can be enjoyed: Try adding a light dusting to your brewed coffee or hot cereal in the morning; combine it with low-fat cottage cheese or yogurt and fruit at lunch; incorporate it into savory dishes and stews at dinner; or use it to top off fruit-based desserts such as poached pears and baked apples. And you can enjoy the many health benefits of cinnamon any time of the day with Suja Juice's lemon vinegar drink or blueberry lemon drinking vinegar! REFERENCES Singletary, K. Cinnamon: Overview of Health Benefits. Nutr Today. 2008;43(6):263–266. Herbs at a Glance: Cinnamon. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). Accessed at nccam.nih.gov/health/cinnamon on September 17, 2014. . Crawford P. Effectiveness of Cinnamon for Lowering Hemoglobin A1C in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. J Am Board Fam Med . 2009;22 (5 ):507–512. Cheers, Suja Juice