10 Nov The Health Benefits of Cinnamon

The beauty about herbs and spices is that they not only taste amazing, they also offer numerous health benefits. I use, and recommend, herbs and spices a lot in cooking, teas and smoothies and regularly pimp my meals with them!

Classed as a super food, Cinnamon is one of my favourite spices, not only does it taste and smell delicious it also gives a beautiful sweetness to food. It is a warming spice, which, according to Chinese Medicine, helps with weight loss. By warming the body, metabolism is increased and water retention reduced.

Cinnamon is also responsible for balancing blood sugar levels so it is especially good if you have a sweet tooth or have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (or are heading in that general direction.)

PMS sufferers may be pleased to hear that they could also benefit from increasing their cinnamon consumption, it can help balance oestrogen levels and increase progesterone, common causes of PMS symptoms. It also works for men, if you are developing moobs, you may need to look at balancing your oestrogen levels too, it is not just a female problem.

Cinnamon is a digestive stimulant, is anti parasitic, anti bacterial and anti fungal, it also has carminative properties (it helps to reduce gas!)

It can help in cancer cases by inducing cancer cell death, is anti ageing, is believed to help with Alzheimers and last but by no means least it can help with high blood pressure, research has suggested just 2gms a day can lower blood pressure, it certainly beats taking tablets.

I often start my day with a bowl of cinnamon porridge or I throw a spoonful onto my granola or toast (gluten free of course!) It is great to cook with and add to smoothies, cinnamon tea is delicious too.

Cinnamon is certainly not to be sniffed at!