Cinnamon is rich in antioxidants and other beneficial compounds. Some research suggests that it may help you manage blood sugars, protect against heart disease, and reduce inflammation.
Cinnamon is a spice that has been prized for its medicinal properties for thousands of years.
In recent years, modern science has started to confirm many of the potential health benefits associated with cinnamon.
Here are 10 health benefits of cinnamon that are supported by scientific research.
Cinnamon is a spice that is made from the inner bark of trees scientifically known as Cinnamomum.
It has been used as an ingredient throughout history, dating back as far as Ancient Egypt. It used to be rare and valuable and was regarded as a gift fit for kings (1Trusted Source).
These days, cinnamon is affordable and widely available in most supermarkets. It’s also found as an ingredient in various foods and recipes.
There are two main types of cinnamon (1Trusted Source):
- Ceylon cinnamon: This type is also known as “true” cinnamon.
- Cassia cinnamon: This is the most common variety today and what people generally refer to as “cinnamon.”
Cinnamon is made by cutting the stems of cinnamon trees. The inner bark is then extracted and the woody parts removed.
When it dries, it forms strips that curl into rolls, called cinnamon sticks. These sticks can be ground to form cinnamon powder.
The distinct smell and flavor of cinnamon are due to the oily part, which is very high in the compound cinnamaldehyde (2).
Scientists believe that this compound is responsible for most of cinnamon’s powerful effects on health and metabolism (3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).
SummaryCinnamon is a popular spice. It’s high in cinnamaldehyde, which is thought to be responsible for most of cinnamon’s health benefits.
Antioxidants protect your body from oxidative damage caused by free radicals (5Trusted Source).
Cinnamon is loaded with powerful antioxidants, including polyphenols (1Trusted Source).
One study found that cinnamon supplementation could significantly increase antioxidant levels in the blood while reducing levels of markers used to measure inflammation, such as C-reactive protein (6Trusted Source).
In fact, the antioxidant effects of cinnamon are so powerful that it can even be used as a natural food preservative (7Trusted Source).
SummaryCinnamon contains large amounts of highly potent polyphenol antioxidants.
Inflammation is incredibly important, as it helps your body respond to infections and repair tissue damage.
However, inflammation can become a problem when it’s chronic and directed against your body’s own tissues (8Trusted Source).
Cinnamon may be useful in this regard. Studies show that this spice and its antioxidants have potent anti-inflammatory properties (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).
SummaryThe antioxidants in cinnamon have anti-inflammatory effects, which may help lower your risk of disease.
Cinnamon has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death around the globe (11Trusted Source).
According to one review, supplementing with at least 1.5 grams (g), or about 3/4 of a teaspoon (tsp.), of cinnamon per day was able to reduce levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and blood sugar in people with metabolic disease (12Trusted Source).
Another review of 13 studies found that cinnamon could reduce triglyceride and total cholesterol levels, both of which are risk factors for heart disease (13Trusted Source).
Cinnamon has also been shown to reduce blood pressure when consumed consistently for at least 8 weeks (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).
When combined, all of these factors could help reduce your risk of heart disease.
SummaryCinnamon may improve some key risk factors for heart disease, including cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure.
Insulin is one of the key hormones that regulate metabolism and energy use (16Trusted Source).
It’s also essential for transporting blood sugar from your bloodstream to your cells (16Trusted Source).
However, some people are resistant to the effects of insulin. This is known as insulin resistance, a hallmark of conditions like metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes (17Trusted Source).
While more research is needed, some studies suggest that cinnamon may be able to reduce insulin resistance (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).
By increasing insulin sensitivity, cinnamon can lower blood sugar levels and support better blood sugar control.
SummaryCinnamon has been shown to significantly increase sensitivity to the hormone insulin, which may improve blood sugar control.
Cinnamon is well known for its blood-sugar-lowering properties.
Apart from the beneficial effects on insulin resistance, cinnamon can lower blood sugar through several other mechanisms.
First, cinnamon has been shown to decrease the amount of sugar that enters your bloodstream after a meal.
It does this by interfering with numerous digestive enzymes, which slows the breakdown of carbohydrates in your digestive tract (20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source).
Second, a compound in cinnamon may mimic the effects of insulin to improve the uptake of sugar into the cells (22Trusted Source).
Numerous human studies have confirmed the beneficial effects of cinnamon, showing that it can lower fasting blood sugar levels and improve hemoglobin A1c, a marker of long-term blood sugar control (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source).
The effective dose is typically 1–6 g, or around 0.5–2 tsp. of cinnamon per day (24Trusted Source).
SummaryCinnamon has been shown to reduce fasting blood sugar levels when used in doses ranging from 1–6 g or 0.5–2 tsp. per day.
