SEVERAL USES OF CINNAMON
Blood Sugar Control – Several studies
have found that Cinnamon has properties that help those with insulin
resistance. It is therefore very popular with Type 2 diabetics who take
it to control their blood sugar variations.
Ceylon Cinnamon is particularly popular because it has low levels of Coumarin. compared to Cassia Cinnamon found in your grocery store. In case you did not know Coumarin in high doses can cause liver damage. Another study found that Ceylon Cinnamon has no effect on blood sugar control and only Cassia Cinnamon has this effect.
However in yet another study Ceylon Cinnamon was found to have an effect on blood sugar control in a rat model. So the evidence is confusing. If you are taking Ceylon Cinnamon for diabetes, take it in moderation as part of a healthy program of diet, proper nutrition and moderate exercise.
Ceylon Cinnamon is particularly popular because it has low levels of Coumarin. compared to Cassia Cinnamon found in your grocery store. In case you did not know Coumarin in high doses can cause liver damage. Another study found that Ceylon Cinnamon has no effect on blood sugar control and only Cassia Cinnamon has this effect.
However in yet another study Ceylon Cinnamon was found to have an effect on blood sugar control in a rat model. So the evidence is confusing. If you are taking Ceylon Cinnamon for diabetes, take it in moderation as part of a healthy program of diet, proper nutrition and moderate exercise.
Anti-Bacterial/Anti Microbial - Ceylon Cinnamon Leaf Oil is a powerful anti-bacterial and makes a great natural disinfectant.
Cinnamon oil had the best anti microbial activity among three oils
against Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , Aspergillus oryzae
, and Penicillium digitatum according to this abstract..
Dilute it with water to disinfect kitchen counter tops, sinks, your refrigerator, door knobs, toys and many other things. If you have young children and don't want to use harsh cancer causing chemicals use Cinnamon Oil. Cinnamon sticks are also a good anti bacterial but you would need a lot of it to make a difference. If you want a mild disinfect, like to wash your face, then a couple of Cinnamon sticks boiled in hot water might be an idea.
Dilute it with water to disinfect kitchen counter tops, sinks, your refrigerator, door knobs, toys and many other things. If you have young children and don't want to use harsh cancer causing chemicals use Cinnamon Oil. Cinnamon sticks are also a good anti bacterial but you would need a lot of it to make a difference. If you want a mild disinfect, like to wash your face, then a couple of Cinnamon sticks boiled in hot water might be an idea.
Food Preservative – Cinnamon
is effective in inhibiting bacterial growth. This maybe one reason why
it is widely used in food preparation in hot Asian countries. In Sri
Lanka, virtually every dish has a pinch of Cinnamon in it. In addition
to great flavor, Ceylon Cinnamon in combination with other spices like
Turmeric and Chili may have been an indigenous solution to preserve
food without a refrigerator. This study
for using Cinnamon Oil coated paper as a preservative found a 6%
Cinnamon Oil solution was responsible for complete inhibition of mold in
sliced bread packaging. This study listed on Feb 2013 also found cinnamon oil effective in developing insect resistant food packaging film. Cinnamon also came on top in this study, even against All spice and Clove Oil as very effective for making edible food film.
Odor Neutralizer – Pure
Cinnamon Leaf oil not only smells great but is an effective odor
neutralizer as it kills bacteria that creates the odor. All you need is
2-5 drops of Cinnamon leaf oil mixed with water on a diffuser and
within minutes all odors are neutralized. It also has the effect of
improving your mood. Especially great as a cure for the winter blues.
Cognitive Development – According this hard to verify German study cited in this article
those taking Cinnamon improved their response times and memory recall.
While not scientific, our personal experience suggests pretty good
results in alertness and concentration.
Anti-oxidant
– With an ORAC value of 267536 μmol TE/100g (USDA 2007) cinnamon is
one of the top seven anti-oxidants in the world. The suggestion is that
Anti-oxidants reduce the formation of Free Radicals that cause cancer.
This study found Cinnamon has sufficient anti-oxidant properties and makes for improved food palatability.
Cancer Preventer – Research shows that Cinnamon oil is a promising solution in the treatment of Tumors, Gastric Cancers and Melanomas. Research studies
show that sugar maybe causing or sustaining cancer cells and cinnamon
may have a mitigating effect by controlling blood sugar levels in the
body. Another study found good results with leukemia and lymphoma cancer
cells. Cinnamon in its various forms has two chemical constituents
called Cinnamaldehyde and Eugenol (From Cinnamon Oil). These have been
used to develop nutraceuticals in this study
that have proven fairly effective in fighting Human Colon Cancer Cells
(Eugenol) and Human hepatoma cells (Cinnamaldehyde). So the evidence
seems to suggest that Cinnamon is starving cancer cells of the sugar
needed to sustain them.
Weight Reducer
– Cinnamon apparently has the effect of thinning your blood thereby
increasing blood circulation. Increased blood flow generally boosts your
metabolism which is why it may be helpful in weight loss. This blood
thinning property of Cinnamon also helps it in acting as an anti
clotting agent especially for those suffering from heart disease.
However care must be taken to NOT to take it with other blood thinning
medication. The main ingredient that causes your blood to thin is
Coumarin which is present in high doses in Cassia Cinnamon (4%) but not
in Ceylon Cinnamon (0.04%). However Coumarin causes liver damage. So
taking Cassia Cinnamon for weight loss may end up causing liver damage.
Since Cinnamon increases insulin's capacity to metabolize sugar - cinnamon may help reduce hunger pains and sugar cravings, which could help reduce weight. Especially those who have diabetes and find it hard to lose weight. This article cites Dr. Greenburg of Tufts University as saying it holds promising possibilities for weight loss..
Since Cinnamon increases insulin's capacity to metabolize sugar - cinnamon may help reduce hunger pains and sugar cravings, which could help reduce weight. Especially those who have diabetes and find it hard to lose weight. This article cites Dr. Greenburg of Tufts University as saying it holds promising possibilities for weight loss..
Arthritis/Osteoporosis
– The widely cited Copenhagen university study is a hoax. Most of the
evidence that Cinnamon helps arthritis is from personal testimonials.
Some people claim drinking Cinnamon tea helps the pain from arthritis
while others claim a Cinnamon Oil based massage oil helps ease the pain.
What we do know is that Cinnamon has high levels (73% DV in two sticks of Cinnamon) of Manganese which is used to build bones, blood and other connective tissues, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The body needs manganese for optimal bone health, so people who are deficient in the mineral are more likely to develop osteoporosis. Of course another factor causing Osteoporosis may be excessive dairy consumption.
A study in 2008 listed in this pdf found that Alderhyde components of Ceylon Cinnamon bark extract suppresses RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis through NFATc1 down regulation.
What we do know is that Cinnamon has high levels (73% DV in two sticks of Cinnamon) of Manganese which is used to build bones, blood and other connective tissues, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The body needs manganese for optimal bone health, so people who are deficient in the mineral are more likely to develop osteoporosis. Of course another factor causing Osteoporosis may be excessive dairy consumption.
A study in 2008 listed in this pdf found that Alderhyde components of Ceylon Cinnamon bark extract suppresses RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis through NFATc1 down regulation.
Massage Therapy –
Cinnamon is a well known warming agent. Combined with a carrier oil it
is highly effective in relaxing and relieving muscle pain. Some put a
few drops in their bath to relax and to sooth tired and aching muscles.
Anti-Fungal
– Got a bad case of athletes foot? It's powerful anti fungal
properties are the perfect natural alternative to killing the athletes
foot fungus.
Lowering LDL cholesterol & triglycerides – According to a Mayo clinic article the only possible way Cinnamon could lower cholesterol is indirectly via how the body processes sugar and fat. But there is no direct effect on cholesterol. Still another study in Pakistan found Cinnamon reduced triglyceride (23-30%), LDL cholesterol (7-27%), and total cholesterol (12-26%).
E-coli Fighter
– One of the most effective E-coli fighters because of its anti
microbial properties. Mix cinnamon oil with hydrogen peroxide and spray
your cutting board and kitchen sink especially after you have cut
meats. Spray it in your refrigerator. It’s safe and natural.
Candida Yeast Infections
- Cinnamon has shown an amazing ability to stop medication-resistant
yeast infections. This applies to Escherichia coli bacteria and
Candida albicans fungus. This study discovered that Cinnamon Oil was one of three leading essential oils effective against Candida. Another study was found Cinnamon Oil to be effective against two strains of Candida, C. orthopedics and C. parapsilosis. A third study
found that Cinnamon Oil was effective against three strains of Candida,
Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, and Candida krusei. Real Ceylon
Cinnamon Tea infused with Cinnamon Bark Oil could be an excellent way to
fight internal Candida infections and boost your immune system. For
topical applications (except genital areas and mucous membranes) 1%
Ceylon Cinnamon Leaf Oil mixed with a carrier Oil could be an extremely
effective treatment option.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
– As a digestive cinnamon dramatically reduces the uncomfortable
feelings associated with IBS especially the bloating. It does this by
killing bacteria and healing infections in the GI tract and enabling
the gastric juices to work normally. A Japanese study apparently
showed it to cure ulcers but this cannot be verified. But if you do
have stomach cramps or upsets, a cup of Cinnamon tea 2-3 times per day
will dramatically reduce the pain.
Tooth Decay and Gum Disease – Again
the anti-bacterial properties of Cinnamon play a crucial role in
getting rid of harmful bacteria without damaging your teeth or gums.
It’s one of the reasons that Cinnamon Oil is often used in chewing
gums, mouthwashes, toothpaste and breath mints.
Nutrients – One
teaspoon of Cinnamon Powder (a realistic dose) has 0.33mg (16% DV)
Manganese, 0.76 mg (4% DV) Iron, 24.56 mg (2% DV) Calcium. This data was
calculated from this site. We have also presented USDA figures with RDA % (see chart below)
which we think is more accurate, although we cannot confirm the
Manganese levels in Cinnamon from any reliable source. Manganese
apparently works as an enzyme activator and plays an important role in
building good structure and bone metabolism. According to WebMD manganese is therefore useful for weak bones (osteoporosis), a type of “tired blood” (anemia), and symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Insect Repellant
– The anti microbial qualities of Cinnamon Leaf oil is often used for
head lice treatment, black ant control, bed bugs, dust mites, and
roaches. It is well known as a defense against mosquitoe's. This WebMD article sites a Taiwanese study which found that it not only kills Mosquito larvae but also acts as a bug repellant. This paper suggests that real Cinnamon Oil as opposed to Cinnamon extract is the best for a broad range anti microbial activity.
Alzheimer’s Disease – This article cites
an Israeli study done at the University of Tel Aviv that found
sufficient evidence to conclude that Cinnamon can delay the effects of
five aggressive strains of Alzheimer's inducing genes. Another study
also finds that orally administered Cinnamon extract has had good
success in correcting Cognitive Impairment in Alzheimer's Disease in
Animal Models.
PMS -
Again because of the high levels of Manganese Cinnamon may be an
excellent candidate to mitigate the effects of PMS. According to the University of Maryland
web site women who ate 5.6 mg of manganese in their diets each day had
fewer mood swings and cramps compared to those who ate only 1 mg of
manganese. These results suggest that a manganese rich diet may help
reduce symptoms of PMS. Another clinical study found that 46 patients
with PMS had significantly lower amounts of calcium, chromium, copper,
and manganese in their blood. You should not consume more than 11 mg of
Manganese per day (about 12 cinnamon sticks) according NYU. FDA guidelines establishes a daily value of 2mg (about 2 Cinnamon sticks).
No comments:
Post a Comment