Cinnamon is an aromatic condiment used in various culinary preparations, due to the fact that it provides a sweet flavor to meals, in addition to being ingestible in the form of tea or tincture.
This spice is rich in mucilages, gums, resins, coumarins and tannins that give it antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antispasmodic, anesthetic and probiotic properties, stimulating the body's defenses and providing various health benefits such as:
- Help control diabetes because it improves sugar utilization;
- Improve digestive disorders such as gas, spasmodic problems and to treat diarrhea, due to its antibacterial, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effect;
- Fight infections of the respiratory tract since it has a drying effect on the mucosa and is a natural expectorant;
- Decrease fatigue and improve mood because it increases resistance to stress;
- It helps fight cholesterol due to the presence of antioxidants;
- It helps in digestion , especially when mixed with honey because honey has enzymes that facilitate digestion and cinnamon has an antibacterial, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effect;
- Fight infections of the respiratory tract, since it has a drying effect on the mucosa and is a natural expectorant;
- Decreases appetite as it is rich in fiber.
- It reduces the accumulation of fat because it improves the sensitivity of the tissues to the action of insulin;
- It improves intimate contact because it is an aphrodisiac and improves blood circulation, increasing sensitivity and pleasure, which also favors sexual contact.
To get all the health benefits of cinnamon, just consume 1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder per day, and it can be used in various ways, sprinkling it on desserts, creams, mousses and cereals such as oatmeal or rice pudding. Another way to consume it is in the form of tea,
Cinnamon Nutritional Information
| Components | Quantity per 100 g of cinnamon |
| Energy | 315 calories |
| Water | 10 g |
| Protein | 3.9 g |
| Greases | 3.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 55.5 g |
| Fibers | 24.4 g |
| Vitamin A | 26 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 28 mg |
| Calcium | 1230 mg |
| Iron | 38 mg |
| Magnesium | 56 mg |
| Potassium | 500 mg |
| Sodium | 26 mg |
| Match | 61 mg |
| Zinc | 2 mg |
How to use cinnamon
The parts of cinnamon used are its husk, found in supermarkets in the form of a cinnamon stick, and in essential oil that can be purchased at health food stores.
A popular way to take advantage of the benefits of cinnamon is to use it as a condiment for meats, fish, chicken, and even tofu. For this, just grind 2 pcs of star anise, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon of coarse salt and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Store the seasoning in the fridge and you're ready to use it on any occasion.
Another very popular way is cinnamon tea. To prepare it place 1 cinnamon stick in a cup of boiling water, letting it steep for 10 minutes. Then you should consume up to 3 cups per day, before meals.
Sprinkling 1 tbsp of cinnamon powder in fruit salad or oatmeal cereals are optimal strategies to naturally lower blood glucose, being useful for diabetes control and weight loss.
Healthy recipes with Cinnamon
Some recipes where cinnamon can be used are:
1. Banana and Cinnamon Cake
Ingredients
- 5 eggs;
- 2 and ¼ cups of wheat flour;
- 1 cup brown or muscovado sugar;
- 1 tbsp baking powder;
- ¾ cups of milk;
- 2 crushed bananas;
- 1 cup of oil;
- ½ cup of crushed walnuts.
Preparation method
Blend the eggs, sugar, milk and oil for 5 minutes. Then add the wheat flour and baking powder, blending a little more to mix everything. Finally, transfer the dough to a container, put the crushed bananas and the crushed walnuts together and move well until the dough is uniform. Pre-heat the oven to 180º
Place in the oven until golden, remove and sprinkle cinnamon on top of the cake.
2. Roasted apple with cinnamon
Ingredients:
- 2 Units of Apple;
- 2 Units of Cinnamon stick;
- 2 tablespoons of brown or muscovado sugar.
Preparation method:
Wash the apples and remove the central part where the stem and seeds are, but without breaking the apples. Place the apples on a baking sheet, placing a cinnamon stick in the center and sprinkling with the sugar. Bake at 200 ºC for 15 minutes or until apples are very soft.
Side effects and contraindications
Cinnamon's side effects are allergies and skin irritation, and it should not be consumed in case of gastric or intestinal ulcers. In addition to this, cinnamon should also not be ingested during pregnancy because it could promote uterine contraction.
