10 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Cinnamon

Antioxidants and other helpful chemicals abound in cinnamon. According to some study, it may promote inflammation reduction, heart disease prevention, and blood sugar regulation. 

Since ancient times, people have valued the therapeutic benefits of the spice cinnamon.

Many of the possible health advantages of cinnamon have recently been confirmed by contemporary research.

Here are 10 health advantages of cinnamon that have been verified by study. 

1. Contains powerful medicinal properties

 

 

The spice known as cinnamon is produced from the inner bark of trees with the scientific name Cinnamomum.

It has a long history of usage as an ingredient, going all the way back to Ancient Egypt. It was formerly considered a gift suitable for kings since it was so rare and precious (1Trusted Source).

Cinnamon is now reasonably priced and extensively accessible in most stores. It may also be found as an ingredient in a variety of dishes and meals.

Cinnamon comes in two primary varieties (1 Reliable Source):

 
- "True" cinnamon is also referred to as Ceylon cinnamon.
-  The most widely used type of cinnamon nowadays is cassia, which is what most people think of when they say "cinnamon."

Cutting cinnamon tree stems produces cinnamon. The woody components are then eliminated together with the inner bark.

Cinnamon sticks are formed when the strips of dried cinnamon curl into rolls. Cinnamon powder may be created by grinding these sticks.

The oily component of cinnamon, which has a high concentration of the chemical cinnamaldehyde, is what gives it its distinctive flavor and aroma (2).

Scientists postulate that this substance is largely to blame for cinnamon's potent impacts on health and metabolism (3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).

2. Loaded with antioxidants 

Your body is shielded by antioxidants from oxidative damage brought on by free radicals (5Trusted Source).

Strong antioxidants like polyphenols are abundant in cinnamon (1Trusted Source).

According to one study, taking cinnamon supplements might considerably raise blood antioxidant levels while lowering inflammatory indicators like C-reactive protein (6Trusted Source).

In fact, cinnamon's antioxidant properties are so potent that it may be utilized as a natural food preservative (7Trusted Source).

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 3. May have anti-inflammatory properties

The role of inflammation in your body's response to infections and tissue damage makes it crucial.

However, persistent inflammation that targets your body's own tissues might become a concern (8Trusted Source).

Cinnamon might be helpful in this situation. Studies demonstrate the strong anti-inflammatory benefits of this spice and its antioxidants (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source). 

4. Could protect against heart disease

Heart disease is the biggest cause of mortality worldwide, and cinnamon has been associated with a decreased risk of the condition (11Trusted Source).

One study found that supplementing with at least 1.5 grams (g), or around 3/4 of a teaspoon (tsp), of cinnamon daily helped persons with metabolic diseases lower their levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and blood sugar (12Trusted Source).

Cinnamon may lower triglyceride and total cholesterol levels, both of which are risk factors for heart disease, according to another study of 13 research (13Trusted Source).

Additionally, cinnamon has been demonstrated to lower blood pressure when regularly ingested for at least 8 weeks (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).

Together, all of these elements may help lower your risk of heart disease.

5. Could improve sensitivity to insulin 

One of the important hormones that controls metabolism and energy consumption is insulin (16Trusted Source).

Additionally, it is necessary for the transfer of blood sugar from the circulation to the cells (16Trusted Source).

However, some persons are unable to respond to insulin's effects. Insulin resistance is what causes illnesses like the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes to manifest in this way (17Trusted Source).

There is much work to be done, however some studies point to cinnamon's potential to lessen insulin resistance (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).

Cinnamon can reduce blood sugar levels and help improved blood sugar management by boosting insulin sensitivity.

6. Helps lower blood sugar levels 

The ability of cinnamon to reduce blood sugar levels is widely documented.

Cinnamon has positive effects on insulin resistance, but it also lowers blood sugar by a number of other methods.

The quantity of sugar that enters your system after a meal has been demonstrated to be reduced by cinnamon.

This is accomplished by hindering a variety of digestive enzymes, which slows down the digestion of carbs in your digestive tract (20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source).

Second, an ingredient in cinnamon may enhance the absorption of sugar into cells by acting like insulin (22Trusted Source).

Numerous studies conducted on humans have supported the positive effects of cinnamon, demonstrating that it can reduce fasting blood sugar levels and enhance hemoglobin A1c, a measure of long-term blood sugar management (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source).

Usually, 1-6 g, or 0.5-2 tsp, of cinnamon per day, is the effective dose (24Trusted Source).

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7. Might benefit conditions related to neurodegenerative disorders 

Progressive loss of the structure or function of nerve cells is a hallmark of neurodegenerative disorders (25Trusted Source).

Parkinson's and Alzheimer's are two of the most prevalent kinds of these diseases (25Trusted Source).

One of the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease is the development of the protein tau in the brain, which is thought to be inhibited by certain chemicals present in cinnamon (26Trusted Source).

In a 2014 experiment, cinnamon protected neurons, restored normal neurotransmitter levels, and enhanced motor performance in Parkinson's disease-affected rats (27Trusted Source).

But further research on these impacts in people is required.

8. Cinnamon could prevent cancer. 

For its possible role in the treatment and prevention of cancer, cinnamon has received much research.

Overall, test-tube and animal studies are the only available data that suggests cinnamon extracts may be cancer-protective (28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source, 30Trusted Source).

It appears to be toxic to cancer cells, leading to cell death, and works by slowing the growth of cancer cells and the development of blood vessels in tumors.

Cinnamaldehyde has been shown in one research to be able to suppress the production of certain proteins linked to the development of cancer in mice with ovarian cancer (31Trusted Source).

Test-tube studies that demonstrated how cinnamaldehyde might slow the development and spread of ovarian cancer cells provided evidence in support of these findings (32Trusted Source).

But additional investigation is required to assess the possible anti-cancer properties of  cinnamon in humans.

9. Might shield against bacterial and fungal diseases 

One of cinnamon's primary active ingredients, cinnamonaldehyde, may be effective against a variety of infections.

Cinnamon oil may be able to help against some fungi that cause respiratory tract infections, according to tests conducted in test tubes (33Trusted Source).

Additionally, it could stop some germs from growing, like Salmonella and Listeria (34Trusted Source, 35Trusted Source).

Additionally, cinnamon's antibacterial properties may lessen foul breath and prevent tooth decay (36Trusted Source).

However, since the majority of the information comes from experiments in test tubes, further human study is required.

10. Might possess antiviral qualities 

According to some study, cinnamon may offer some viral defense.

For instance, the most prevalent human HIV strain, HIV-1, is considered to be resistant to cinnamon made from Cassia types (37Trusted Source, 38Trusted Source).

According to previous research, cinnamon may also be able to defend against other viruses, such as influenza and the mosquito-borne illness Dengue (39Trusted Source).

However, further human studies are required to verify these outcomes. 

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