Visakha

HOW CINNAMON HEALS

There’s a reason why cinnamon stars in all sorts of pies and cakes: it is a warming spice, excellent for balancing the winter chill and “waking up” the sluggish Kapha dosha.

In traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, cinnamon has been used for centuries along with honey, ginger and tea to cure cold and flu.

Regular use of cinnamon improves the body’s ability to utilize blood sugar. In fact, just one gram of cinnamon taken daily can reduce fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL (“bad’) cholesterol. Researchers are now recommending that Type 2 diabetics take up to 1 tsp of cinnamon daily.

In a study, participants were exposed to four scents: zero odour, peppermint, jasmine, and cinnamon. Guess what? Cinnamon emerged the clear winner in boosting brain function, especially memory and motor co-ordination. Just chewing cinnamon-flavoured gum or smelling the spice does the trick. Inhale some cinnamon essential oil and feel the alertness kick in.

Cinnamon zaps germs. Small amounts of cinnamon were added to apple juice contaminated with the deadly E. coli bug. Within three days, the spice killed 99.5 per cent of the bacteria. Studies are now on to see if cinnamon can do the same to salmonella.

The cinnaldehyde in cinnamon helps prevent unwanted clumping of blood platelets, making it an excellent anti-inflammatory agent