Not just the “bane of cancer,” this plant, categorized as one of the Four Treasures of Traditional Chinese Medicine, also has excellent blood sugar balancing properties.
Cinnamon is a highly popular spice widely used in cooking and baking. It is derived from the inner bark of the cinnamon tree and has a distinctive aroma and sweet flavor.
Cinnamon is an evergreen tree found in the Himalayas and several other mountainous regions, as well as in forests in Southern China, India, and Southeast Asia.
Cinnamon or its components can positively affect cognitive function.
In addition to its unique flavor, cinnamon possesses numerous health benefits. Research shows that cinnamon has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties. It can also enhance the immune system.
A study published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture reveals that cinnamon can inhibit the proliferation of leukemia cells. Additionally, cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon helps protect the colon from the damage caused by free radicals, reducing the risk of colorectal cancer. Some compounds from cinnamon are also extracted for the formulation of anti-cancer drugs.
Blood Sugar Control: Cinnamon has been shown to increase the uptake of sugar in cells and contribute to blood sugar regulation, improving insulin sensitivity. In several studies, cinnamon has been proven to help improve blood sugar control in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Moreover, cinnamon has other benefits such as:
Anti-aging: Cinnamon is renowned for its anti-aging properties due to the high presence of antioxidants, especially tannins. These compounds help the body combat free radicals that cause cellular aging, such as pollution.
Enhancing Brain Performance: Research from the Healthspan Centre (UK) has highlighted the potential of cinnamon in preventing and treating Alzheimer’s disease. This ingredient is believed to increase the production of sodium benzoate in the brain, a compound that directly affects the hippocampus, an area essential for memory and learning.
Warming the Body: In winter, cinnamon effectively helps us combat the cold weather by rapidly increasing body temperature.
Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties.
The research team reviewed hundreds of studies stored in various online databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. They narrowed their analysis to 40 of these studies.
Among them, 33 studies were conducted in vivo (i.e., testing on actual living organisms, such as humans, rodents, or other animals). Five studies were carried out in vitro (i.e., outside living organisms, by analyzing cells or tissues post-mortem), and two were clinical studies (i.e., involving medical patients).
The team extracted relevant data from all these studies, including: authors, year of publication, type or compound of cinnamon used, subject of study, sample size, dosage of cinnamon or bioactive components used, gender and age of participants, duration, methods, and results achieved.
They then assessed the quality and reliability of the studies based on design, sample size, recruitment criteria, and other methodological aspects.
Ultimately, the team analyzed and compared the results of the 40 selected papers. Overall, most studies suggest that cinnamon can positively impact both memory and cognitive function.
