The perfect winter warmer to spice up your life, cinnamon is highly underrated and has been used for thousands of years for both its delicious taste and traditional medicinal properties. Cinnamon is derived from the brown bark of a cinnamon tree — Cinnamomum and comes in 2 principal varieties; cassia and ceylon. Cinnamon is loaded with many health benefits and is an excellent source of antioxidants, helps reduce inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of heart disease. [1]
Antioxidants
In a comparative study of 26 spices, cinnamon presented the highest antioxidant levels, including polyphenols — which are known to protect your body from oxidative damage that is caused by free radicals. [2]
Anti-inflammatory
Inflammation is part of the body's natural healing process to help fight off infections, however, chronic inflammation can become severe when directed against your body's own tissues. Cinnamon has been proven to have many anti-inflammatory properties which help your body fight off infections and repair tissue damage.
Improve Insulin Resistance
Insulin helps control your body's blood glucose levels and is essential for transporting blood sugar into the cells to be used for energy and regulate your metabolism. Whilst many individuals face insulin resistance, cinnamon has been shown to dramatically reduce insulin resistance, allowing the hormone to do its job and lower blood sugar levels. Cinnamon may help lower blood sugar levels by interfering with digestive enzymes which slow the breakdown of carbohydrates within the body for a more sustained release. [3]