Cinnamon a superfood?

Cinnamon not only tastes great on food but it can also help enhance your health. In Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine cinnamon has been used to treat all manners of health issues from digestion, anxiety and the common cold for 4000 years. According to Victoria Reteiny cinnamon can help with stabilising blood sugar, improving circulation and gout. Whether you need an immune system boost or are trying to lose weight, cinnamon just might be the spice you need in your life.

Nutrition
A 0.1 oz serving of cinnamon provides about 6 calories, 0.1 g fat, 1.8 g carbohydrate, 1 mg sodium and 1.2 g fiber.

Vitamins
Cinnamon contains 7.1IU’s of vitamin A, 0.1 mg vitamin C, 0.1 mg vitamin E, 0.1 mg betaine and 0.3 mg choline. It also contains trace amounts of vitamin K, B6, pantothenic acid and folate.

Minerals
One teaspoon (0.07 oz) of cinnamon contains 1.5 mg magnesium, 1.6 mg phosphorus, 25.1 mg calcium, and 10.8 mg potassium. Additionally it contains 0.2 mg iron and trace amounts of zinc, copper and selenium.

Health Benefits
Both varieties of cinnamon, Ceylon and cassia, have antioxidant and microbial effects helping to keep the body disease free. Cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar and has been proven to be effective in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance (pre-diabetes). For this reason this spice may be useful during weight loss resulting in less fat deposition of sugars. According to research by Christopher Cabello cinnamaldehyde, the essential oil in cinnamon bark has the ability to impair cancerous cell growth, although more research is required in this area.

Safety
Reports from the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment state some cinnamon contains ‘coumarin’ which has blood thinning properties (see references 5 & 6 in notes). If you are diabetic consult your health care provider prior to using therapeutic doses of cinnamon.


References
1 - IDEA Fitness Journal. Spice Up Your Health. Retelny, V. (Dec, 2008)
5(10), pp. 65-73.
2 Canadian Journal of Physiology. From type 2 diabetes to antioxidant activity: a systematic review of the safety and efficacy of common and cassia cinnamon bark. Jean-Jacques, D. et al. (Nov, 2007) 85, pp. 837-847
3 – Journal of Human Nutrition & Dietetics. (2010) 23(4), pp. 437-528
3 –The Thyroid Diet. Shomon, M. (Feb, 2004) Harper Paperbacks.
Vasant, L. (1999) The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies. Three Rivers Press.
4 - Free Radic Biological Medicine. The Cinnamon-derived Michael Acceptor Cinnamic Aldehyde Impairs Melanoma Cell Proliferation, Invasiveness and Tumor Growth. Christopher, M. Cabello. et al. (Jan, 2009). 46(2), pp.220-231