Cinnamon: Uses, Health Benefits, Types, & Dosage

Friends, in this article you will know about Cinnamon Uses, its Health Benefits, and its Daily Dosage. But before that, you should know what it is.

What is Cinnamon?

Now, the main question arising in your mind is, what is Cinnamon?

Friends, it is a very delicious spice and is used in a wide variety of cuisines.

It is obtained from the inner bark of trees of the genus Cinnamomum and the family Lauraceae.

The Cinnamon tree is an evergreen tree with thick bark and oval-shaped leaves. The spice is obtained from the tree by cutting its stem usually from ground level and then the outer wooden part is removed.

The inner bark when dries curl into rolls. These rolls are cut into 4 to 10 cm of length for commercial use.

Its major producers in the world are China, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

This spice is available in the market as rolls or in powdered form or as an essential oil.

Its distinct aroma and flavor are mainly due to the presence of essential oil (having cinnamaldehyde as its principal constituent).

What are the Types of Cinnamon?

Friends, there are many types of cinnamon sold in the market, and the main ones are as follows: —

1) Ceylon Cinnamon

Its scientific name is Cinnamomum verum. It is also called Cinnamomum zeylanicum or True Cinnamon or Sri Lanka Cinnamon.

It is of light reddish-brown color and is less dense. As it is less dense, it can be easily made into powder.

It has lesser Coumarin levels than other forms.

It is native to Sri Lanka and is commercially cultivated in Sri Lanka, Seychelles, and Madagascar.

This form is quite expensive as compared to other forms.

2) Chinese Cinnamon

Its scientific name is Cinnamomum cassia. This type is also known as Chinese cassia.

It is the most commonly used type and is dark reddish-brown in color.

It contains high Coumarin levels.

This form is native to southern China. It is commercially cultivated in China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.

3) Indonesian Cinnamon

Its scientific name is Cinnamomum burmannii. It is also called Padang cassia or Korintje cinnamon. It is dark reddish-brown in color and is sold as rolls made up of one thick layer.

Indonesian cinnamon contains high Coumarin levels.

It is native to Indonesia and is commercially grown in Indonesia, Sumatra, and Jambi province.

4) Saigon Cinnamon

Its scientific name is Cinnamomum Loureiroi and is also known as Vietnamese cassia or Vietnamese cinnamon.

It is dark reddish-brown in color and has the highest Coumarin levels as compared to other forms.

It is primarily cultivated in Vietnam. Though it is known as Saigon cinnamon it is not cultivated in Saigon, the largest city of Vietnam.

5)  Malabar Cinnamon

Its scientific name is Cinnamomum citriodorum and is dark reddish-brown in color.

It smells like lemongrass and is mainly cultivated in Sri Lanka and Southern India.

What is the Nutritional Composition of Cinnamon?

Friends, it consists of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, fat, protein, vitamins (like vitamin A, vitamin b-complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin K), and minerals (like iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc).

Nutritional composition of Cinnamon powder per 100 gram

Friends, here one thing is noteworthy that it is available in different types in the market, but all are not equally created.

What are the Cinnamon uses and health benefits?

Friends, it is a wonderful spice and has been used for more than 4000 years.

It is not used just for its flavor and aroma but also for its medicinal properties.

The most important Cinnamon Uses and its Health Benefits are: —

1) It is loaded with powerful antioxidant properties

Cinnamon contains polyphenols like catechins and procyanidins: and these are powerful antioxidants.

These antioxidants protect your body from damage by neutralizing harmful free radicals; and thus decrease your risk of getting diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.   

It can be used as a natural preservative in food due to its potent antioxidant properties.

2) It lowers inflammation in your body

Cinnamon has potent anti-inflammatory properties due to the presence of antioxidants.

Thus, it can lower your risk of diseases due to chronic inflammation and that too directed against your body’s cells.

Cinnamaldehyde (an important constituent of this spice) helps to inhibit the production of nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide is considered an inflammatory mediator.

So, by inhibiting nitric oxide production and the presence of powerful antioxidants, it plays an important role in the management of inflammatory conditions.

3) Cinnamon is good for the heart

Cinnamon promotes heart health and lowers the risk of heart diseases.

Its regular consumption reduces the levels of LDL (the bad cholesterol) and triglycerides while increasing the levels of HDL (the good cholesterol).   

Its consumption also causes a reduction in your blood pressure.

Thus by lowering your bad cholesterol and triglycerides levels, and also lowering high blood pressure levels; it reduces your risk of heart diseases.

4) Cinnamon improves digestive health

Cinnamon has been used to improve digestion and to relieve many digestive problems for thousands of years.

Its anti-microbial properties help to fight bacteria otherwise which can cause digestive infections.

Its consumption provides relief in indigestion, flatulence, and nausea.

5) Cinnamon lowers blood sugar levels

Insulin is a hormone, which is necessary for transporting blood sugar to your body cells.

But, many people become resistant to the effects of insulin i.e. their fat, muscles, and liver cells don’t respond well to insulin.

Cinnamon reduces insulin resistance.

And thus by improving sensitivity to the insulin hormone, it lowers blood sugar levels.

Also, the powerful anti-oxidants like polyphenols present in it can protect you from developing diabetes type-2.

6) It may protect you from cancer

Cancer is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth anywhere in the body.

Cinnamon may help to reduce the risk of cancer.

Firstly, this is due to its ability to reduce inflammation, and secondly, it reduces the growth of cancer cells and induces cancer cell death.

Laboratory studies in mice with colon cancer have revealed that it reduced the size of cancer and the formation of new blood vessels in tumors. (1)

7) Cinnamon is beneficial in Neurodegenerative diseases

Friends, as you know there is a progressive degeneration of the structure and function of brain cells in Neurodegenerative diseases.

Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease are the two most common types of neurodegenerative diseases.

Cinnamon is very beneficial for the brain.

Its consumption improves memory.

In a study on a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease, it was found that Cinnamon helped in protecting neurons, normalized striatal neurotransmitters, and improved motor functions. (2)

Also, some compounds of Cinnamon may be beneficial to Alzheimer’s disease as they inhibit the buildup of tau (a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease). (3)

8) It helps to fight infections

Yes, friends, you read right.

It is very helpful in fighting bacterial and fungal infections. It also inhibits the growth of salmonella bacteria.

9) Cinnamon benefits in weight loss

Those who want to lose weight and tummy fat should start consuming Cinnamon.

It is helpful in losing weight as it suppresses appetite, speeds up your metabolism, and regulates blood sugar levels.

But friends, it should be noted that along with its consumption, you have to take a healthy diet and do regular exercise to lose weight.

10) Cinnamon benefits in oral health

It is useful in treating oral infections and toothache due to its anti-bacterial properties.

It is also helpful in treating bad breath and sore throat.

For getting relief from a toothache, you can put 1 to 2 drops of Cinnamon essential oil on cotton and apply this cotton on painful teeth.

11) It helps in promoting skin health

Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties and thus, helps in treating inflammatory skin conditions.

It also contains a compound called cinnamaldehyde which is helpful in treating various skin disorders.

Cinnamaldehyde is helpful in healing wounds, due to its anti-bacterial properties.

For getting relief from skin problems like mild acne or fungal infections; you can apply its powder after mixing it with honey on the skin; you will get relief within a few days.

12) Cinnamon promotes hair growth

It is also helpful in promoting hair growth and the diameter of hair follicles. It contains polyphenols like procyanidins which are very helpful in hair growth.

What is the Daily Dosage of Cinnamon?

Since Coumarin is present in different amounts in different types of Cinnamon and higher doses of Coumarin can cause liver and kidney damage.

The permissible Daily Dosage of Coumarin is 0.1mg/kg of body weight per day.

Thus, the Recommended Daily Dosage of Cinnamon is ¼ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of its powder i.e. 1 gram to 6 grams of its powder in a whole day can be consumed without getting side effects of coumarin.

And the Recommended Daily Dose of Cinnamon Essential Oil is 1 to 5 drops.

But before consuming this spice you should consult your doctor for its dosage.

Final Word

Cinnamon is a very delicious and wonderful spice.

It is good for your heart health, improves digestion, lowers your blood sugar levels, helps you in losing weight, and has numerous other health benefits.

But you should consume it in a recommended dose of 1 gram to 6 grams to avoid the side effects of coumarin.

Frequently asked questions

Question: From where can you buy Cinnamon?

Answer: You can buy it from a good food store or a good grocery store near you.

Or you can also buy it online from this link.

Question:  How much Cinnamon should you eat in a day?

Answer: You can eat 1 gram to 6 grams of this spice in a day without having side effects of coumarin.

Question: Can Cinnamon reduce belly fat?

Answer: Yes.

It suppresses your appetite, speeds up your metabolism, and regulates your blood sugar levels; thus it helps in reducing belly fat.

Question: How can you consume Cinnamon?

Answer: There are several ways of using it and getting its benefits. Some of which are:

You can use it as a spice in your food.

Or it can be used as a Decoction by mixing it in warm water.

You can consume its powder by mixing it in milk.

Its powder can also be consumed by mixing with honey.

Or it can also be used while making herbal tea.

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References

1) Inhibition of lipid peroxidation and enhancement of GST activity by cardamom and cinnamon during chemically induced colon carcinogenesis in Swiss albino mice. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18260732/

2) Cinnamon treatment upregulates neuroprotective proteins Parkin and DJ-1 and protects dopaminergic neurons in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24946862/

3) Cinnamon extract inhibits tau aggregation associated with Alzheimer’s disease in vitro. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19433898/

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Disclaimer

This article is intended for informational purposes only. Any information associated with this article should not be considered as a substitute for prescriptions suggested by local health care professionals.

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