11 Health Benefits of Cinnamon You Need to Know

Once upon a time, cinnamon was more valuable than gold. And while these days I’m betting most of us would rather get our hands on 24 karats over 24 ounces – a bar over a stick – this bark-cum-spice has just as much bite as it does bark. The potential health benefits attributable to cinnamon could be stated as nothing short of astonishing.

It’s possible we’re just brushing the surface here, for Chinese medicine and Ayurveda have long revered cinnamon as a superpower used to treat things such as colds, indigestion and cramps and also believed to improve energy, vitality and circulation. The following are eleven health benefits associated with this beloved spice that studies have suggested:

1. 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower your bad cholesterol (or LDL).
2. Cinnamon may help treat Type 2 Diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels and increasing the amount of insulin production in the body.
3. Cinnamon has antifungal properties, and it’s been said that candida cannot live in a cinnamon environment. 
4. Cinnamon can reduce the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.
5. Cinnamon has an anti-clotting effect on the blood.
6. Honey and Cinnamon combined have been found to relieve arthritis pain.
7. When added to food, cinnamon inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative.
8. Just smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory.
9. Cinnamon fights the E. coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices.
10. Cinnamon has been found to be an effective natural remedy for eliminating headaches and migraine relief.
11. Cinnamon can also help stablize blood sugar (which is great for weight loss). A couple of dashes in your morning tea or cereal is all it takes!

Now, this said, we are absolutely not advocating you start guzzling the cinnamon – as it has been found to be toxic in large doses. We are, however, wholeheartedly encouraging a little pinch (or stick) here and there in places you might otherwise have overlooked (in your tea or coffee, added to savory dishes, etc.) – if not for your overall health, for its undeniably enchanting aroma and flavor. And while we all have fell victim to the irresistible smells wafting through an otherwise bleak airport experience, this does not make Cinnabon a free for all.

(source: http://www.organicauthority.com/health/11-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html)