When it comes to spices, cinnamon is a classic. People love cinnamon for its unique flavor combination of sweet and spicy. This food pantry staple is used in baking, teas, cereals, and as a tasty addition to Betsy’s Best Gourmet Cinnamon Almond Butter, Peanut Butter and Sunflower Seed Butters.
One of the world’s oldest spices, cinnamon dates all the way back to Ancient Egypt. It has also been used medicinally in Ayurvedic and Chinese traditions for centuries. Once upon a time, this spice was rare and extremely valuable, often used as a gift for monarchs or even gods.
Why did our ancestors love it so much? Well, it was more than just a tasty treat. If you’ve ever wondered about the health benefits of cinnamon – there are plenty!
Health Benefits of Cinnamon
Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of cinnamon trees. As it dries, the bark forms strips and curls naturally into rolls, creating those pretty cinnamon sticks. The sticks are often ground into the powder form you see in stores.
Scientists believe that cinnamon’s flavor, as well as its powerful health benefits, come from the oily compound inside called cinnamaldehyde. Here are some of the top health benefits of cinnamon.
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Helps regulate blood sugar
Thanks to its naturally sweet taste, you can add cinnamon to foods and recipes to help reduce your sugar intake. Doing so lowers the glycemic load of your meal. Cinnamon can lower blood sugar levels and increases sensitivity to insulin, making it extremely helpful for those with diabetes.
Good for your heart
More than just a savory-sweet addition to your food, this powerful little powder is good for your heart. It reduces overall cholesterol levels, “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, while keeping “good” HDL cholesterol stable.
Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties
Like many of our ingredients, cinnamon is great at fighting inflammation . This means it can help in treating arthritis and other chronic inflammatory diseases. Cinnamon is packed with antioxidants such as polyphenols, which have anti-inflammatory effects on the body.
Helps preserve brain function
This reddish brown spice can help treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. These neurodegenerative diseases have a devastating effect on the structure and function of brain cells. But cinnamon has been shown to protect neurons, normalize neurotransmitter levels and improve motor function – wow!
Cinnamon can help fight cancer
If all these benefits weren’t enough, this simple little powder may also have anti-carcinogenic properties. Cinnamon helps fight cancer by slowing the growth of cancer cells and even causing these harmful cells to die. What’s more, cinnamon has the amazing power to activate the antioxidant responses in human colon cells, essentially preventing the spread of cancerous cells.
Cinnamon has antimicrobial effects
Cinnamon is also useful for fighting various kinds of infection. Cinnamaldehyde has been shown to have antibacterial and anti-fungal effects, preventing the growth of bacteria like Candida, Listeria and Salmonella. Cinnamon is sometimes added to toothpastes for its natural ability to prevent tooth decay and reduce bad breath.
As you can see, like all of our nut and seed butter ingredients, we didn’t add cinnamon in there just because it’s spicy and delicious. We want our spreads to taste great and be great for you. That’s why we use only all-natural, non-GMO and gluten-free ingredients with amazing health benefits to boot! We think you’ll fall in love with Betsy’s Best seed and nut butters, whether it’s in a recipe or by the tasty spoonful.
