An Incredible Spice: The Health Benefits of Cinnamon
A highly popular spice known to humanity for many thousands of years, cinnamon can also be used to improve symptoms of numerous health conditions. What are the health benefits of cinnamon? How much cinnamon is beneficial daily? Read on, and you will find the answers to all these and numerous other questions.
1. Which Kind of Cinnamon Is Healthier than Others
This popular spice is prepared from the bark of various species of trees of the genus Cinnamonum. Depending on the country of origin, there are as many as four main types of it available to buyers:
- Ceylon or true cinnamon (C. verum): light brown with a subtle, delicate flavor, it comes from Sri Lanka. This “true” variety is not suitable for baking as it can lose a lot of its aroma.
- Cassia (C. cassia): this Chinese variety is reddish-brown in color and has a strong flavor that is not lost when exposed to heat.
- Vietnamese cassia or Saigon variety (C. loureiroi): it has an even more pronounced flavor compared to cassia.
- Padang or Indonesian variety (C. burmannii): has a flavor that is in the middle between Ceylon variety and cassia.
Chemical Differences
All four kinds of this spice markedly differ in their bioactive compound content. Thus, the health benefits of Saigon, Ceylon, Indonesian cinnamon, and cassia are not the same. Differences between them can be clearly seen in the table below:
| Variety | Content | ||
| Cinnamaldehyde, g/kg | Coumarin, g/kg | Eugenol | |
| Ceylon (C. verum) | 16.8 | 0.017 | Present |
| Chinese (C. cassia) | 18.7 | 0.31 | Absent |
| Indonesian (C. burmannii) | 46.3 | 2.15 | Absent |
| Saigon (C. loureiroi) | 55.8 | 6.97 | Present |
Cinnamaldehyde is a beneficial compound that gives the spice its flavor; among other things, it was found to be an antimutagen and help DNA repair.
Coumarin is an aromatic compound that is used by plants for protection against predators. While it was found to be poisonous to rodents, it is not believed to be markedly toxic to people. Still, in Europe it is not recommended to take more than a teaspoon of cassia powder (or about 2.8 grams) per day because of potential adverse side-effects of high coumarin content. As Indonesian and Saigon varieties contain even more coumarin, they need to be used with even more caution.
Eugenol is a complex organic compound with a pleasant smell. Although it is used as a food additive, high doses of eugenol taken for a long period of time can have a toxic effect on the liver. What’s more, in some people eugenol oil can cause an allergic reaction when applied to the skin.
What Variety to Choose
As seen from the table, the Indonesian variety is very rich in cinnamaldehyde, lacks eugenol, and contains considerably lower quantities of potentially unsafe coumarin compared to the Saigon variety. For this reason, the Indonesian variety (C. burmannii) in daily quantities of 1/7 teaspoon (0.4 g or 400 mg) can be recommended for regular use both as a spice and health-improving supplement.
Here is one of the most popular spices of Indonesian variety on iHerb to use for your beverages and cooking:
Cinnamon Powder by Starwest Botanicals
- 436 g (1 pound) of C. burmannii
- Country of origin: Indonesia
- Certified organic
- Affordable price
2. What’s Known About the Health Benefits of Cinnamon
Here is what is reliably known to science about the beneficial properties of this spice:
Loaded with Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antimicrobial Compounds
Numerous tests demonstrated that this spice is very rich in antioxidants such as polyphenols. It was also confirmed to have anti-inflammatory properties and inhibit the growth of various bacterial (Staphylococcus, Enterobacter, Salmonella) and fungal (Candida, Aspergillus) strains. There are promising hypotheses that the use of the spice and its oils can help deal with tooth decay and improve bad breath.
This mouthwash contains a combination of xylitol and essential oils (including cassia oil) to maximize its effect:
Cinnafresh XyliWhite Mouthwash by NOW Foods
- 473 ml (16 fl oz)
- Fluoride-free
Reduces Cholesterol, Improves Insulin Sensitivity, and Lowers Blood Sugar
In a 2003 study it was demonstrated that this spice could reduce blood levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol. A 2013 meta-analysis confirms these findings and demonstrates that daily doses as low as 120 mg (a twentieth of a teaspoon) can be enough to achieve a decrease in total and LDL cholesterol levels.
What’s more, a 2008 study and 2010 review conclude that cinnamon and its bioactive components have beneficial effects on insulin sensitivity. This spice can also slow the breakdown of carbohydrates and lower blood sugar levels. It is also believed to promote weight reduction.
If you want to use a potent spice extract to improve your health, there are easy-to-use dietary supplements like this one:
Cinnamon Plus Chromium by Nature’s Bounty
- 1,000 mg (1 g) of C. burmannii (Indonesian variety of the plant) + 250 mg of potent extract per serving
- Additionally contains 400 mcg chromium per serving (can additionally improve insulin metabolism)
- Non-GMO
May Help Improve Symptoms of Neurodegenerative Diseases & Slow Down the Development of Cancer
Recent studies on rodents with Parkinson’s disease demonstrated that this plant can improve motor functions and normalize levels of neurotransmitters. Still, additional research involving human patients is required. This plant was also demonstrated to inhibit tau aggregation, which is common in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
Although the anti-cancer properties of the spice were studied either in vitro or on animals, and more studies are required, it is believed to inhibit tumor growth.
If you use low-calorie sweeteners, this product that combines allulose and cinnamon can be of great help:
Organic Cinnamon Syrup by RxSugar
- Allulose (a low-calorie organic sweetener) passes the body almost unchanged
- Certified organic & kosher
3. What are the Health Benefits of Cinnamon Oil and Leaves
Just like the bark, the leaves of the plant are loaded with bioactive compounds that, among other effects, reduce inflammation and have marked antioxidant properties. For this reason, there are two kinds of cinnamon-derived oil: one that is obtained from leaves and twigs and bark oil that (similar to the spice) is obtained from the inner bark.
Both types of oil are known for their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory action; they eliminate harmful bacteria, reduce redness and soothe various kinds of infections. Before applying them to the skin, dilute them using a carrier oil. The optimal ratio is 1 drop of spice oil to 4 drops of carrier oil like almond, grapeseed, or olive.
- 30 ml (1 fl oz)
- Steam distilled from the leaves and twigs of the plant
- 30 ml (1 fl oz)
- Steam distilled from the dried inner bark of the plant
Sweet Almond Oil, 118 ml (4 fl oz) by NOW Foods
- 118 ml (4 fl oz)
- Nourishing & moisturizing
4. What Are the Health Benefits of Cinnamon Tea
Both green and black varieties of tea are rich in antioxidants and known to promote wellness, so adding a bit of spice to these beverages makes them even more healthy. To brew a tea with a note of cinnamon in it, you can either use a regular tea and ground powder or choose a product like this one:
Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea by Harney & Sons
- 1 lb (450 g)
- Contains high-quality black tea, orange peel, ground cloves & cinnamon
You can also decide on herbal tea that contains very high quantities of this spice:
Three Cinnamon Tea by Pukka Herbs
- 20 herbal tea sachets, 2 g each
- Contains a mixture of Vietnamese (60%), Indonesian (16%), and Indian (10%) varieties of the spice + licorice root
- Organic
5. What Are the Health Benefits of Cinnamon Powder and Honey
As honey has known antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, a combination of these foods can probably help prevent the common cold and other respiratory infections typical of colder seasons. However, garlic and ginger will be a better choice if you want to boost your immunity by using even more antioxidant spices and foods with no excessive sugar content.
Yet, here is one of the most popular honeys that comes from a dependable brand:
- 454 g (16 oz)
- Unfiltered, organic & raw
- Fair Trade and non-GMO
6. What Are the Health Effects & Benefits of Cinnamon in Coffee
Is it good to drink cinnamon-spiced coffee every day? A lot of people like this fragrant beverage for its unbeatable combination of energy and wholesomeness, yet there is still a question of safety.
As it was already said, a teaspoon of cassia powder is a maximal daily intake limit that is recommended by European health authorities. As the Indonesian variety of the plant contains seven times as high quantities of coumarin, it is not recommended that you take more than 1/7 of a teaspoon of it per day for long-term periods. For short terms, however, you can use much higher quantities of this spice with no significant risks to health.Then again, if you only add a pinch of any variety of this incredible spice to your coffee, you receive minimal amounts of coumarin and can fully enjoy the health benefits of cinnamon in your beverage with no worries at all.