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Sweet and spice

It was the spice, Cinnamon, that launched a thousand ships. Its sweet rich flavour can perk up your cup of coffee and add that element of zing to your desserts. Carved from the bark of the cinnamon tree, it is also known for its antiseptic and healin g properties.

Native to Sri Lanka and China, the discovery of cinnamon dates back to 2800 BC when it was first documented in Chinese literature. Its name was derived from the Arabic term ‘amomon’, meaning fragrant spice plant.

Cinnamon became an integral part of Western cuisine ever since the Arabs introduced it there. In India, cinnamon is an integral ingredient of all popular curries and even spices like the ‘garam masala’ and some ayurvedic preparations.

Here’s why you should make this spice a part of your life:

In the medieval era, cinnamon was a common ingredient in medicines and physicians found it an effective cure in treating cough, hoarseness and sore throats. Even today, Cinnnamon is known to be an effective decongestant and a digestive remedy. You can inhale steam with a stick of cinnamon in boiling water to get rid of allergic colds and sinitus symptoms.

Various studies have established that the medical properties of cinnamon extend much further than as just a cure for colds. This spice holds a great deal of promise in the treatment of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

One of the first studies on cinnamon was conducted in 2003 and published in the journal ‘Diabetes Care’. The study involved 60 people, all of whom were affected by Type 2 diabetes. Each person ingested 1,3 or 6 grams of cinnamon in the form of a daily pill, an amount roughly equivalent to a quarter to one teaspoon full of fresh ground cinnamon. After 40 days, the fasting blood glucose levels were measured. Cinnamon was found to have reduced sugar levels in the blood by as much as 18 to 29 per cent! LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) was reduced by 7 to 27 per cent, and total cholesterol by 12 to 26 per cent!

It was established that cinnamon only acts as an effective cure in preventing diabetes at the pre-diabetic stage or to correct bad lifestyle choices that may lead to diabetes. For this reason, people have already been prescribed medication to manage their blood sugar should not reduce or discontinue their dose and take cinnamon instead.

Sprinkling cinnamon in your cup of coffee or tea, or adding it to desserts is a great way to enjoy its fragrant aroma, rich taste and explore its health giving potential.

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