home Thyroid Cinnamon - the benefits and harms, useful properties and contraindications of ground spices. Cinnamon: Spice, Medicine, and Weight Loss Agent Where is Cinnamon Used?

Cinnamon - the benefits and harms, useful properties and contraindications of ground spices. Cinnamon: Spice, Medicine, and Weight Loss Agent Where is Cinnamon Used?

Ceylon cinnamon (true, noble or real cinnamon) is a fragrant spice known everywhere. For some, its aroma resembles mom's apple pie, while for others it is a storehouse of useful properties.

Cultivated mainly on about. Sri Lanka. The spice is obtained from the bark of the cinnamon tree ( Cinnamonum). When dried, the strips of bark curl into tubules. These are the same cinnamon sticks that we use in the kitchen.

It was popular in ancient Egypt, it was considered a rare gift, available only to rulers and their associates. Only the most influential Egyptians owned secret beauty recipes for face and hair based on cinnamon.

Ceylon cinnamon is called "true" or "real" for a reason. So, for example, its cheaper relative - cassia (Chinese cinnamon) contains coumarin- a toxic chemical.

Unlike the Chinese "blende", the true spice looks like thick paper rolled into a hollow roll.

Medicinal properties

The specific taste and aroma of this spice attracts not only fans of gourmet cooking, but also those who take care of their health.

Just one teaspoon of ground cinnamon contains as many antioxidants as half a cup of blueberries. It is equally useful for both men and women. But before using it is important to make sure that cinnamon is not contraindicated for you.

For weight loss

The dietary benefits of true cinnamon have been scientifically proven. Include this spice in your diet, and the result will not be long in coming.

The composition includes natural esters that promote weight loss: cinnamaldehyde(key component of cinnamon oil), eugenol And hydroxycinnamaldehyde.
The flavonoid proanthocyanidin improves the condition of patients with type II diabetes. This plant polyphenol stimulates insulin receptors in adipocytes (fat cells).
Zinnzeilanin And cinnceilanol improve appetite, normalize the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, promotes the breakdown of fats.
Increases the activity of insulin in the body. Even for people who do not have diabetes, high blood sugar is a serious problem leading to obesity.

Fact: Including cinnamon in your diet reduces the glycemic index (GI) of your food by 18-29%. This is a good boost to weight loss.

Accelerates metabolism, including carbohydrates, preventing their conversion into fat. Dishes flavored with cinnamon allow you to burn more calories.
Abdominal or abdominal fat is the first thing that catches your eye when you see an overweight person. But much more dangerous is the one that surrounds our internal organs - the visceral one. By consuming cinnamon regularly, you force the body to burn it first.
Slows down the digestive processes. This is an important property for those who are trying to lose weight. With the support of spices, it is easier to wait until the next meal without additional snacks.

Interesting! Nutritionists claim that dried cinnamon bark reduces sugar cravings.

Accelerates lipogenesis

During studies of lipogenesis processes, mouse fat cells are often taken as the basis. Lab animals fed cinnamon were able to lose weight despite a high-fat diet.

From Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry: cinnamaldehyde, which is part of cinnamon, activates special enzymes. They, in turn, stop the accumulation of excess fat in the body.

From cholesterol and sugar

The spice is able to reduce the concentration of cholesterol and sugar in the blood.

From Journal "Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics": Ceylon cinnamon increases insulin sensitivity, stopping the accumulation of white adipose tissue (the culprit of excess centimeters and cellulite).

How to use

Here are some simple diet recipes:

Add 1 tsp. ground spices for oatmeal, muesli and yogurt.
Mix cinnamon, honey and hot water instead of tea throughout the day.
Black tea and coffee, fruit juices and protein shakes with this seasoning will become tastier.
Combines with fresh fruits, nuts and seeds.
Freeze cinnamon in ice cubes to add a twist and flavor to your favorite drinks.
Sprinkle ground seasoning over fresh fruit.
A pinch in stew, bean soup, or veggie chili sauce won't hurt.

Application in everyday life

Insect repellent: The antimicrobial properties of cinnamon oil are used to kill ants, bedbugs, mites, cockroaches and mosquitoes.

Disinfection: Oil diluted in water can be used on kitchen surfaces, sinks, refrigerators, doorknobs, toys, and more. This is true if the family has children or allergy sufferers who react poorly to household chemicals.

Food preservative: spice prevents bacterial growth. That is why it is used in almost every dish in hot Asian countries.

Neutralizes odors: Cinnamon leaf oil not only masks unpleasant odors, but kills the bacteria that cause them.

Hair Benefits

In Sri Lanka, the spice has been used in traditional medicine and aromatherapy recipes for centuries.

It has an antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial effect on the scalp, improves the condition of the hair. Regular massage of the scalp, neck and temples with cinnamon oil causes blood flow to the follicles, thereby stimulating hair growth.

Connect 2 tbsp. l. honey, 2 tsp ground cinnamon and. Stir to a paste. Rub into the scalp, apply evenly to the hair and leave for 15 minutes. Rinse your hair with shampoo. Preheating the oil will increase the effectiveness of the procedure.

This homemade mask can be done once a week.

We lose an average of 100 hairs per day, but usually we don't even notice it. Intensive loss begins with health problems. The undeniable advantage of cinnamon is that it affects the hair both from the inside and outside.

Use not only ground spice, but also natural oil. It contains substances useful for hair: eugenol And cinnamaldehyde endowed with antifungal and antibacterial properties. Suitable for the treatment of dry and brittle hair, as it nourishes the hair follicles. Roots become stronger and hair loss is reduced.

Side effects and contraindications

Cinnamon is high in natural estrogens. Therefore, it is contraindicated during pregnancy, in the presence of endocrine and oncological diseases in history, for example, breast cancer.

Due to the digestive properties of the seasoning caution should be exercised in people suffering from peptic ulcers.

If you have diabetes, consult your doctor before including spices on the menu.

Side effects:

Toxicity. Upper limit of safe dosage: 6 g per day for 6 weeks.
premature birth. During pregnancy, the spice is contraindicated, as it can cause uterine contractions or even premature birth.
Harm to the liver. The high levels of coumarin in Chinese cinnamon can lead to liver failure if taken daily or in high doses.
Allergy. Runny nose, watery eyes, difficulty breathing, indigestion, swelling of the face or hands, anaphylactic shock, and nausea are the main symptoms. If you are allergic to cinnamon, its intake in any quantities is contraindicated.
In rare cases or in case of overdose increases heart rate.
Thins the blood, like, for example, or aspirin.

Cinnamon can be a wonderful health and longevity aid for men and women of all ages, especially if you like fatty and high-calorie foods, the results of their research summarize. employees of the University of Pennsylvania.

Let me introduce you to Her Majesty Cinnamon!

In ancient times this spice was present exclusively at the meals of the crowned persons.
- the bark of an evergreen cinnamon tree (lat.Cinnamomum verum) of the Laurel family. On sale, cinnamon spice can be found in the form of pieces of bark rolled into a tube or in ground form.
In Russian, the spice was called cinnamon because of its brown color.

Use in cooking spices cinnamon
Cinnamon bark is widely used as spices for desserts, chocolate, hot candies, liqueurs, sauces. In America, cinnamon is often used as an addition to cereals or fruits, especially apples and bananas. The spice is used in canning, in marinades, thanks to the antimicrobial properties of cinnamon, products are stored longer and acquire a fragrant aroma and a sweetish slightly burning taste.
Cinnamon goes well with many other spicy and tart spices. In home cooking, it is put in all dishes where sugar is used.
They are added to various pastries (cakes, Easter cakes, gingerbread, pies stuffed with pumpkin, apples, cherries, strawberries), as well as fruit salads and dishes with cottage cheese.
In Rus', cinnamon has always been added to porridge, in the East - to sweets, pilaf, fish dishes.
It is combined with lamb, pork, chicken.
In Asia, cinnamon can easily be present in dishes with meat, vegetables, legumes.
Milk, fruit, vegetable and fish soups, as well as wine and fruit sauces are prepared with cinnamon.

In many countries, cinnamon is used for canning mushrooms, for pickling lingonberries, cranberries, pickling watermelons, and tomatoes.
Spice can flavor liqueurs, punches, grogs, compotes, fruit drinks, sbitni, tinctures, jams, jams.

Cinnamon is an ingredient in wuxianmian spice mix, advia, panchporan, berebere, mulled wine and pumpkin pie spice mix, yerk, Moroccan spice mixes, ras el hanout, curry
Cinnamon gives a very interesting taste to curdled milk, Varenets, kefir, cheese.
It is better to buy cinnamon powder in small quantities - it quickly loses its aroma, it is better to add it at the very end of cooking (no more than 10 minutes before the end), because with prolonged heat treatment, cinnamon will give the dish an unpleasant bitterness ...
The taste of cinnamon sticks is much more stable, although they are quite difficult to finely grind, so they are most often used in boiling and stewing, taking them out in the final.

Use in medicine spices cinnamon
In medicine and aromatherapy, the use of cinnamon is associated primarily with the action of a complex of its volatile aromatic substances, some of which can be isolated in the form of essential oil. The aroma of cinnamon improves mood, soothes, invigorates, harmonizes. The spice itself has a warming effect, accelerates blood circulation, improves metabolism, and is an antioxidant. Extracts and essential oil of cinnamon have earned a reputation as a valuable ingredient in cold medicines.
Some types of cinnamon are still used to treat diarrhea, constipation, and other digestive ailments. However, the active ingredients contained in these preparations are currently not recommended for long-term use.
A notable pharmaceutical effect of cinnamon in the treatment of type 2 diabetes has been reported in the media. The research used not "true" cinnamon, but cassia. See below for terminology confusion.
Cinnamon oil is also used in warming and irritating ointments, but its concentration in them is limited due to possible allergic reactions.

Description spices cinnamon
Cinnamon is a small 10-15 m tall evergreen tree native to Sri Lanka and southern India.
Cinnamon is grown for two years and then pruned to the root. Over the next year, about a dozen new shoots are formed. Then the bark is cut off from these shoots. She dries up. Only a thin (0.5 mm) inner bark layer is used; the outer woody layer is removed, and meter-long cinnamon strips remain, which, when dried, curl into long tubes; each dried tube consists of strips from several shoots. These tubules are then cut into pieces 5-10 cm long for sale.
The highest quality cinnamon comes from Sri Lanka, but the plant is also grown commercially in Java, Sumatra, western India, Brazil, Vietnam, Madagascar and Egypt. Sri Lankan high-quality cinnamon is made from a very thin soft bark of light yellowish or brown color, has a pleasant aroma and an unusually sweet, warm and pleasant taste.
The aroma and taste of cinnamon is due to aromatic oil, which is contained in cinnamon in an amount of 0.5% -1%. This essential oil is obtained after crushing the bark, soaking it in sea water and then quickly distilling the infusion. The oil is yellow-gold in color, with a characteristic smell of cinnamon and a burning aromatic taste. The pungent taste and warm smell is caused by the main component of the oil - cinnamic aldehyde, or cinnamal. Oxidizing over time, the oil darkens and acquires a resinous structure.

The name "cinnamon" correctly refers to the species Cinnamomum zeylonicum, also known as "true cinnamon" (from the botanical name C. verum). However, the related plant cassia (Cinnamomum aromaticum, Chinese cinnamon tree) is sometimes sold labeled "cinnamon" but, unlike real cinnamon, is labeled "Indonesian cinnamon" or "Fake cinnamon". With real cinnamon, using only the thin inner bark, a better, less dense and more crumbly texture is obtained. True cinnamon is considered a stronger and more pungent spice. Cassia is usually medium to dark reddish brown in color, and since the whole bark is used, its tubules are thicker (2-3 mm thick) and more woody in structure. Most cinnamon sold in supermarkets is actually cassia.
The two pieces of bark differ both in appearance and in their chemical characteristics. When bark powder is exposed to an iodine solution (starch test), real high quality cinnamon has only a small effect, while cassia bark powder turns a dark blue color, the intensity of which depends on the concentration of cassia.
"Fake cinnamon" or cassia contains the dangerous substance coumarin. In any case, cinnamon is a very strong pungent spice and should be used in small amounts.

Chinese cinnamon (Cinnamomum Cassia Blume)
The plant is native to South China. It is about him that we are talking about in the monument of Chinese writing, dating back to 2800 BC. e.
Currently cultivated in China, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia. It has other names: fragrant cinnamon, Indian cinnamon, simple cinnamon, cassia, cassia-canel.
Chinese cinnamon is harvested from a tree that has reached the age of seven. Moreover, the bark is removed from the branches and trunks every 7-10 years. As in the previous case, the upper part of the bark is peeled off, and the lower layers are cut into strips 15 cm long and 2 cm wide. When dried, the bark acquires a concave shape with a rough surface. The color differs from Ceylon cinnamon. If the first is yellow-brown, then the second is reddish-brown and thicker (1.5-2 mm or more), at a break it is granular.
The taste of Chinese cinnamon is sweetish, but it does not have the tenderness of the aroma of Ceylon cinnamon. Noticeable stronger pungency, astringency and sharpness. In the world market, these two different spices are often confused.
It goes well with sweet dishes, it is added to the dough, for other confectionery purposes, as well as in marinades.

Malabar cinnamon (Cinnamomum Tamala Nees.)
Malabar cinnamon is a classic spice derived from the bark of the cinnamon tree native to India and Burma. It has other names: brown cinnamon, wood cinnamon, cassia-vera.
It differs from the previous two varieties of cinnamon in appearance (dark brown-brown), taste (sharp, bitter).

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum Culilawan Blume)
Cinnamon, or spicy cinnamon, is a spice obtained from the bark of the shoots of the cinnamon bush grown on the plantations of the Moluccas. His breeder is also in Indonesia.
Annual shoots are cut off, from which most of the outer layer is peeled off, and the remaining layers are dried until the spice takes on a beige color on the outside and yellowish red on the inside. Before drying, the bark is divided into pieces 1-3 mm thick, 2-5 cm wide and up to 40 cm long. Cinnamon is easy to recognize - these are fragile pieces, grainy when broken, crumbling when touched, slightly bent in appearance. They have a distinctive cinnamon pungent smell, spicy taste with a touch of pungency.

Storyspices cinnamon
Cinnamon has been known since ancient times. It was highly valued for its taste and medicinal properties, so it was often presented as a gift only to monarchs and other rulers. Cinnamon was imported into ancient Egypt from China before the 2nd millennium BC, costing a lot of money and merchants kept its true origin a secret. The spice is mentioned in the Bible when Moses is told to use sweet cinnamon and cassia.
Here, for example, is what Herodotus wrote about cinnamon: “The Arabs collect cinnamon in an even more amazing way. Where it grows, and what kind of land gives rise to this plant, they themselves do not know. Others claim (and they are probably right) that cinnamon grows where Dionysus was brought up. According to their stories, big birds bring these dry strips of bark, which we call by the Phoenician name "kinamomon. " And these birds bring them to their nests made of clay, on the steep mountains, where "A man's foot has stepped. So, to get cinnamon, the Arabs came up with this trick. The carcasses of dead bulls, donkeys and other beasts of burden they cut into as large pieces as possible and bring them to these places. Having dumped the meat near the nests, they then leave. And the birds flock and carry away pieces of meat into their nests. The nests cannot withstand the weight and collapse to the ground. Then the Arabs return and collect cinnamon. The cinnamon collected in this way from the country of these Arabs is then exported to other countries. "
The great Aristotle questioned these stories, and his student Theophrastus, considered the father of botany, first suggested that cinnamon was obtained from trees growing in Arabia. But his version became nothing more than one of the legends, since he further claimed that whole hordes of poisonous snakes guard these places and cinnamon gatherers have to put on oxhides, leaving only one eye, to prepare this spice. Moreover, the collected spice had to be divided into 3 parts in order to leave one of them to the gods. The very assumption that cinnamon comes from Arabia was incorrect.
Wealthy patricians used cinnamon on funeral pyres in ancient Rome, and the emperor Nero, according to some accounts, burned a year's supply of cinnamon at the funeral of his wife Poppea Sabina in 65 AD, a cinnamon smell hung over Rome for a long time.
Cinnamon was a very expensive spice in Greece, for 35 kg it was given 5 kg of silver. In other countries, it was valued 15 times more expensive. In many countries had the weight of cash. It was used to bake flour products, to improve the taste of wine, to freshen and disinfect the air.
In the Middle Ages, the origin of cinnamon continued to be a mystery to the Western world. Arab merchants brought spices along the overland trade routes to Alexandria in Egypt, where they were bought by Venetian merchants from Italy, who had a monopoly on the spice trade in Europe.
The legends about cinnamon fueled interest in the spice and contributed to raising the price of the product.

The stoppage of trade with the Arabs with the arrival of other Mediterranean powers such as the Mameluke dynasty and the Ottoman Empire was one of the many factors that forced the Europeans to actively seek a sea route to Asia.
At the end of the 15th century, Portuguese merchants discovered Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and changed the structure of the traditional production of cinnamon by the salagama caste. The Portuguese founded a fortress on the island in 1518 and fiercely defended their monopoly for more than a hundred years.
Dutch merchants drove out the Portuguese by making an alliance with the kingdom of Kandy in Ceylon. They established a post office there in 1638, seized control of the factories by 1640, and finally ousted the Portuguese by 1658.
The Dutch East India Company continued to rethink how to grow cinnamon in the wild and ended up cultivating its own trees.
The British ousted the Dutch in 1796, although the importance of the Ceylon monopoly was no longer so great. Cinnamon trees began to be grown elsewhere, affordable cassia bark became more acceptable to buyers, and coffee, tea, sugar and chocolate began to supplant the previously popular traditional spices.

Dishes with spice cinnamon:

The eastern queen of spices is cinnamon, the ancient name of one of the spices that most modern housewives add only to pastries, tea or coffee. Ground or in the form of sticks, it is probably present in the kitchen cabinet. Do you know how cinnamon grows, that such an additive to dishes can be both beneficial and harmful to health? We offer to broaden your horizons a little, having familiarized yourself with the unique properties of the miracle spice, take note of several useful recipes.

How does cinnamon grow?

This spice is familiar to everyone, but do you know how cinnamon grows? Cinnamon or Cinnamon is an evergreen tree of the Laurel family, reaching a height of 15 meters. The leaves are light green and shiny above, and below - with a bluish tinge. The flowers are small white-yellow with a sharp unpleasant amber. The fruit of the plant is a berry.

The area of cultivation is a tropical zone.

Four types of cinnamon are widespread: Ceylon, cassia-canel, cinnamon, Malabar.

The first - Cinnamomum verum - grows in Sri Lanka. In Ceylon, it is cultivated as shrubs, from which the bark is obligatorily stripped twice a year. To get a fragrant "harvest" with a rich taste, the collection is carried out during the rainy season. Subsequently, the bark is twisted into tubes up to a millimeter thick. They have a soft sweet scent.

Chinese cinnamon, also called cassia-canel, is found in China, Cambodia and Indonesia. The bark is removed from it every 8 years. And the tubes are obtained with a thickness of up to 2 mm. Accordingly, they are less brittle. By the way, the smell is also different from the Ceylon variety - sharper and sweeter.

Cinnamon grows in Indonesia. After drying, the bark is sold in small, thin layers. The taste is pungent and spicy, with a slight spicy note.

Brown wood, cassia vera is a Malabar variety. Distribution zone - India and Burma. In comparison with the previous varieties, it is distinguished by a thick and rough bark, a weak, barely perceptible fragrance. But her taste is memorable - sharp, viscous, spicy.

Cinnamon: useful properties and contraindications

Consider the beneficial properties of cinnamon, it contains:

ethers;
resins;
slime;
tannins;
starch.

A pleasant addition is a full range of vitamins of all groups, macro- and microelements (K, Na, Zn, P, Fe, Mn, Mg).

Such a composition maintains normal immunity, tones, activates the work and health of internal organs.

In medicine, it is used as an antiseptic and diuretic, for problems with the cardiovascular system and stomach. If you use 2-3 pinches a day, memory, attentiveness, and the ability to concentrate will improve.

The spice in question is useful for women who suffer from irritability. With regular use, it reduces the risk of getting a heart attack, expands blood clots, removes cholesterol. Antiseptic properties will help to cope with colds (cough and sore throat).

Cinnamon for weight loss

Hundreds of positive reviews have received the use of cinnamon for weight loss.

Fat burning cocktail: kefir and cinnamon

The recipe is amazingly simple:

Mix 7 g of ground spice with 1.5 liters of fat-free kefir. Drink the resulting cocktail in a glass a day (instead of dinner). The result is minus 3-5 kg within a week.

Little advice: add cottage cheese to the mixture - this will relieve the feeling of hunger and, accordingly, speed up weight loss. Yes, and the numbers are changing: minus 1.5 kg per day!

If you are losing weight on kefir, then you will be interested to read:

Cinnamon and ginger

A more effective remedy is a drink of cinnamon and ginger.

To prepare, mix 7 g of spice, the same amount of ground root and 100 ml of boiling water. When the composition has cooled, add a slice of lemon and 5 g of natural honey to it. Daily dose - 1 cup. The result is minus 5-7 kg, but subject to daily exercise and limiting sweets.

increases tone;
strengthens the immune system;
removes cholesterol and toxins from the body;
fastens with diarrhea;
useful in hair loss and skin diseases.

Contraindications and harm

Use is prohibited:

hypertensive patients;
pregnant women due to the risk of miscarriage;
during lactation (worsens the taste of milk);
ulcers;
at a temperature;
if you have an individual intolerance.

The use of cinnamon in cooking

On sale are both cinnamon sticks and already ground version. But note that the powder quickly loses flavor, so you need to buy in small quantities. It is used for cooking first and second courses, desserts, marinades, sauces, salads, more often for confectionery and bakery products.

We offer several easy-to-implement recipes.

Exquisite dessert - chocolate parfait

Ingredients:

1 egg + extra yolk
60 g sugar
2-3 g cinnamon,
50 ml rum,
150 g dark chocolate,
a glass of heavy cream.

Cooking:

1. Beat the egg, yolk and sugar with a mixer until fluffy.
2. Add rum, spices. Mix the mass until smooth.
3. Add the melted chocolate to the previously obtained mixture.
4. Pour all over with whipped cream.
5. Pour into molds. Place them in the freezer for at least 7 hours. Before serving, place the molds with a frozen dessert in very hot water so that the contents easily fall into elegant glasses or bowls.

Classic cinnamon coffee recipe

Ingredients:

ground arabica coffee 7 g,
water 125 ml,
sugar 3 gr.,
cinnamon 4-5 gr.

Cooking:

Pour all the dry ingredients into the Turk, mix, put on a quiet flame. When the mixture warms up noticeably, add water. Stirring occasionally, bring to a boil, remove from heat. Pour part of the prepared coffee into a cup, part back into the Turk and repeat the steps.

Cinnamon in cosmetology

In cosmetology, cinnamon masks are common for the skin of the face and body, for hair. They produce an antiseptic effect, but can also be an aphrodisiac. You can use both powder and.

Cinnamon with honey. Mask for the face. (tones, removes wrinkles)

Mix cinnamon with honey in a ratio of 1:2, apply for 10 minutes, rinse.
Owners are advised to add a few drops of any oil to the composition, fatty - chicken egg protein.

Hair mask (accelerates growth)

Ingredients: kefir and olive oil, 20 g each, egg - 1 pc., Cinnamon and honey - 5 g each.
Preparation: mix the ingredients, apply to the hair, gently rubbing into the skin, for 15 minutes, rinse thoroughly.

Cassia and cinnamon, how to tell the difference?

Did you know that in stores, instead of cinnamon, they usually slip us a cheap spice, not of the best quality with an excess of coumarin.

Very informative video:

The Chinese and Malabar varieties, called cassia (Cinnamomum aromaticum), are considered related to the quality Ceylon spice. Only this is an inferior product. When buying cinnamon tubes, pay attention: Ceylon is lighter, fragrant and brittle, while cassia is darker and with a reddish tint, bitter taste, thicker and harder to grind.

When buying packaged ground cinnamon, look at the packaging - the type (labeling) or the country of origin should be indicated. China, Indonesia and Vietnam - cassia, Sri Lanka - the right spice. In addition, the cost of Ceylon is higher.

29.11.2017

You will learn detailed information about what cinnamon is, what health benefits it has, contraindications for use, use in cooking and much more on the site. Few scents are as seductive and warming as this seasoning. Cinnamon is one of the highly valued spices that has been used since biblical times for its healthful and culinary properties.

Cinnamon is a sweet-tasting spice derived from the inner bark of the Ceylon cinnamon tree, which is dried and tightly rolled into thin tubular sticks (rolls) and used as a condiment in sweet and savory dishes around the world.

This spice is common in Asian and Middle Eastern cooking for flavoring meat, vegetable, rice dishes, curries and more. Cinnamon is part of the garam masala spice mix, widely used in Indian cuisine.

What does cinnamon look like - photo

general description

The cinnamon tree is a small evergreen shrub plant belonging to the Laurel family (Lauraceae or Laurel) of the genus Cinnamomum. This new spice originates from the island of Sri Lanka, but also grows in many other countries such as Indonesia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, China.

There are many different types of cinnamon, but Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamonum verum) is considered "true".

Chinese cinnamon, also known as Cassia, also belongs to the Laurel family and is named Cinnamomum cassia. It is coarser, spicier and pungent, but less aromatic than Ceylon.

How seasoning is obtained

Each bush of the cinnamon year produces 8-10 side branches, and after three years they are harvested during the rainy season. Leaves are removed from the branches. The outer layer of bark is then beaten off with a copper rod to make it easier to peel. The inner bark is removed - it is this part that becomes the spice after drying.

In processing devices, this layer is cut into long strips, which are then manually rolled into tubes and dried in the sun. This is how cinnamon sticks are made. They can be ground to make a powder.

The aromatic essential oil of cinnamon is also extracted from the same tree. In factories, this inner layer of bark is beaten out, soaked in sea water, and then rapidly distilled into oil. It is widely used in the food industry, in perfumes, aromatherapy, medicines (especially Asian preparations), disinfectants.

What smell and taste

The aroma of cinnamon is complex, often described as sweet, woody, as well as warm and spicy. It has an absolutely unique delicate and sweet taste.

Cinnamon sticks usually give a more subtle taste compared to ground cinnamon.

How to choose and where to buy

The label for real cinnamon is Cinnamomum zeylanicum or Ceylon Cinnamom (Ceylon Cinnamon). If a seasoning is simply labeled "Cinnamon", it's usually cassia.

Real cinnamon can be found in major cities in the spice section of supermarkets and grocery stores. Good cinnamon smells sweet even from a distance. Sold either in the form of sticks or in powder.

Buy whole sticks instead of ground cinnamon, as it can often contain adulterated spice powders or low-quality cassia. Sticks should be compact, light brown in color.

You can buy real Ceylon cinnamon in online health food stores, IHerb has a good selection.

How to distinguish cinnamon from cassia

Cassia is also cinnamon, but from other parts of the world and a different type of tree.

True cinnamon (Cinnamonum verum) is the innermost layer of the bark of the Ceylon cinnamon tree. She has a uniform light brown color. Produced in Sri Lanka.

Cassia (Cinnamomum cassia) is the outer layer of the bark of the Chinese cinnamon. Also referred to as fake cinnamon, it is much cheaper than real cinnamon and is produced in countries such as Vietnam, China, and Indonesia.

What does cassia look like?

In the case of ground cinnamon, it is very difficult at home to distinguish between these two types, unless you are an expert.

However, if these seasonings are in sticks, the differences between them are easier to identify. The following table highlights some of the differences to help you choose the right type.

Ceylon cinnamon	Cassia
Soft texture, easy to break	hard texture
Mild sweet fragrance	Pungent and very spicy smell
Coumarin content 0.0004%	Coumarin content 5%
Generally safe	Toxic if taken for a long time
Honey, you can't find it everywhere	Much cheaper, sold in supermarkets under the guise of real cinnamon
Produced in Sri Lanka	Produced in China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia
light brown color	Dark brown or reddish color
Soft, crumbly and easily broken into small pieces	Rigid
Several dense layers, the stick is twisted like a cigar	Roll inwards on both sides like a scroll. Empty inside

The differences between cassia and cinnamon are clearly shown in the photo:

Cassia harm

The real problem with fake cinnamon is that it has a high amount of coumarin (nearly 1200 times higher than real cinnamon), so long-term consumption of cassia can cause serious health damage, particularly to the kidneys and liver.

How and how much to store

Whole cinnamon sticks keep in a cool, dry, dark place in airtight glass containers for many months (more than a year). As needed, they can be ground with a hand mill or coffee grinder.

Ground cinnamon is best stored in the refrigerator in airtight containers and used as early as possible (up to 6 months), it has a short shelf life, as in powder form it loses its taste and aroma faster.

Chemical composition

Nutritional value of cinnamon (Cinnamonum verum) per 100 g.

Name	Quantity	Percentage of the daily norm,%
Energy value (calorie content)	247 kcal	12
Carbohydrates	50.59 g	39
Protein	3.99 g	7
Fats	1.24 g	4,5
dietary fiber	53.1 g	133
folate	6 mcg	1,5
Niacin	1.332 mg	8
Pantothenic acid	0.358 mg	7
Pyridoxine	0.158 mg	12
Riboflavin	0.041 mg	3
Thiamine	0.022 mg	2
Vitamin A	295 IU	10
Vitamin C	3.8 mg	6
Vitamin E	10.44 mg	70
Vitamin K	31.2 mcg	26
Sodium	10 mg
Potassium	431 mg	9
Calcium	1002 mg	100
Copper	0.339 mg	38
Iron	8.32 mg	104
Magnesium	60 mg	15
Manganese	17.466 mg	759
Phosphorus	64 mg	9
Zinc	1.83 mg	17
Carotene-ß	112 mcg	-
Cryptoxanthin-ß	129 mcg	-
lutein-zeaxanthin	222 mcg	-
Lycopene	15 mcg	-

Physiological role

The active components in the composition of cinnamon have such an effect on the body as:

Beneficial features

Cinnamon has the highest antioxidant properties of any other natural food source, even surpassing "superfoods" like garlic and oregano.

The spice contains essential oils that are beneficial to health, such as eugenol, which gives it a pleasant, sweet aroma. Eugenol has local anesthetic and antiseptic properties and is used in dental and gum treatments.

Other important essential oils in cinnamon are ethyl cinnamate, linalool, cinnamaldehyde (cinnamaldehyde), beta-caryophyllene, and methyl chavicol.

Cinnamaldehyde (the main constituent of cinnamon essential oils) acts as an anticoagulant (blood thinner) and thus helps prevent stroke and coronary artery disease.

The active ingredients in cinnamon increase intestinal motility and aid in digestion by increasing gastric acid secretion.

This spicy stick is an excellent source of minerals such as potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, zinc and magnesium. Iron is important for cellular metabolism as a cofactor. Potassium is an essential component of cells and body fluids that help control heart rate and blood pressure. The human body uses manganese and copper as cofactors for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.

Cinnamon is also high in vitamin A, niacin, pantothenic acid, and pyridoxine.

It is a very good source of flavonoid phenolic antioxidants such as carotenes, zeaxanthin, lutein and cryptoxanthin.

For weight loss

One of the most sought after health benefits of cinnamon is to aid in weight loss. It reduces appetite and speeds up metabolism. However, this spice alone will not lead to weight loss, a balanced diet and physical fitness must be maintained. Cinnamon simply improves the overall weight loss program.

This is an excellent seasoning for improving immunity, while it contains all the necessary minerals, vitamins and fibers. Plays a big role in detoxification. Popular as a "cleansing" drink when added to a glass of water.

One teaspoon of cinnamon contains 1.6 grams of fiber, which increases the feeling of satiety.

For diabetes

Cinnamon controls blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes, new research has shown. It also reduces “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and increases “good” HDL cholesterol.

Add to that the fact that sugar-free cinnamon has a naturally sweet taste, making it a great addition to foods like plain yogurt or kefir. It can be included in the diet of patients with type 2 diabetes.

The benefits of cinnamon for women

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a problem with numerous symptoms that need to be controlled, and cinnamon can help with this due to its properties.

Studies have shown that cinnamon reduces insulin resistance in women with PCOS.

This spice also alleviates heavy menstrual bleeding associated with common women's health conditions such as endometriosis, menorrhagia, and uterine fibroids.

Other Health Benefits

Here are some more scientifically backed medicinal properties of cinnamon:

Ceylon cinnamon has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. These mean that it boosts immunity. Studies have shown that cinnamon enhances the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and therefore may prevent or treat certain types of cancer.
Cinnamon helps to cope with blood pressure. All its varieties contain cinnamic acid, the anti-inflammatory properties of which help blood flow and reduce the load on the heart, contribute to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases ...
This spice can stop the onset of Alzheimer's disease. It improves the brain's response to insulin. The metabolic effect also makes it useful in neurological problems.
Cinnamon helps fight bacterial and fungal infections. The essential oil effectively treats respiratory tract infections. The antimicrobial properties of this spice also help prevent cavities and reduce bad breath.

In addition to the ground form, cinnamon can be purchased in oral capsules. Some people boil cinnamon sticks in water, add honey or lemon and drink it as a tea. It is also good for making healthy "cinnamon water".

How much cinnamon per day can you eat

After six weeks it is best to take a week off before taking it again. During these seven days, you can consume turmeric, as it has similar beneficial properties.

Contraindications (harm) and side effects

Pregnant and lactating women, patients with diabetes, and those taking anticoagulants and requiring surgery should avoid excessive amounts of cinnamon.

Contraindicated in food allergies to this spice.

Raw cinnamon can cause choking and respiratory distress syndrome (breathing failure). Eating large amounts of cinnamon sticks can cause inflammation of the taste buds of the tongue, swollen gums, and mouth ulcers.

Excessive doses of cinnamon threaten difficulty breathing, dilation of blood vessels, and drowsiness, depression, or even convulsions.

To experience any of the dangerous side effects of cinnamon, you would have to eat very large amounts of the spice, and in normal culinary doses, it is safe and healthy.

Application in cooking

Here are some interesting ways you can use cinnamon in cooking and where to add it:

As an ingredient in homemade cakes and cookies.
Sprinkle baked apples with ground cinnamon for an appetizing flavor.
Use in a mulled wine recipe.
Add to yogurt or ice cream.
Sprinkle over milk porridge or hot chocolate.
Boil a cinnamon stick with warm milk for medicinal purposes.
Add to sliced fruits and rice dishes.
Cinnamon tea with honey is a popular drink for the treatment of various diseases.
Use in fried meat dishes or Indian rice dishes.
This is a great addition to fruity desserts that include apples, prunes, pears and apricots.
Cinnamon French toast is a popular breakfast dish all over the world. Sprinkle this spice on bread dipped in beaten eggs and fry.
Fried donuts and baked buns take on an interesting flavor when seasoned with cinnamon sugar.
This is a popular marinade for beef or lamb.
Cinnamon sticks (whole or broken) are used in drinks, sauces, stews.
In Arab countries, coffee is brewed with pieces of cinnamon or a pinch of powder.

Cinnamon is usually put 7-10 minutes before cooking or sprinkled on the finished dish.

Cinnamon Cookies - Recipe

Paired with a cup of tea, these delicious cookies will keep you warm during cold season and brighten up your afternoon tea.

Ingredients (for 30 pieces):

Cooking method:

Preheat the oven to 180 C and grease a baking sheet with butter.
Mix cinnamon, salt and almonds in a bowl and sift in the same flour.
Melt the butter, honey and sugar in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cool for a couple of minutes before combining with flour and lemon juice.
Stir, and then with a teaspoon spread the dough on a baking sheet about 5 cm apart.
Bake until cookies are light brown around the edges. Let cool slightly on a tray and transfer to a plate.

Sinabon cinnamon buns recipe - video

What to replace cinnamon

If you're out of cinnamon or someone in your household is allergic to cinnamon and you're looking for a substitute, consider these alternatives:

Allspice. Its aroma has a similarity to cinnamon, as well as notes of nutmeg and cloves. It is spicier, so when using allspice as a substitute for cinnamon, use 1/3 of the amount suggested in the recipe.
Cardamom is an aromatic spice that is used in many dishes along with cinnamon. For example, both spices can be found in curry powder. Replace cinnamon with cardamom in a 1:1 ratio.

So, cinnamon is one of the most delicious and healthy spices on the planet. It can help lower blood sugar levels, reduce risk factors for heart disease, and has numerous other health benefits. Just be sure to get real Ceylon cinnamon, be aware of the contraindications, stick to small doses and enjoy its intoxicating aroma.

One of the most common and loved by many spices is cinnamon, but not everyone knows what are the benefits and harms of it, so consider the beneficial properties of cinnamon and contraindications for use, how it is useful for men and women, and also how it grows, how it made and kept at home.

How useful is cinnamon? The composition of the spice

The wide popularity of cinnamon is primarily due to its pleasant and unusual aroma, it is widely used for cooking various dishes, sweets, baking, as well as in the production of perfumes, soaps and cosmetology. Since ancient times, the beneficial properties of cinnamon have also been known due to the content of many useful substances in it, as well as a beneficial effect on human health.

The composition of cinnamon includes vitamins such as A, C, B6, B12, D, as well as trace elements such as calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, sodium.

cinnamon calories

The calorie content of cinnamon is 247 calories per 100 grams of product, respectively, the calorie content of a teaspoon of ground cinnamon is approximately 20 calories, and the calorie content of a cinnamon stick (with a weight of 4 grams) is only 10 calories.

The benefits (useful properties) of cinnamon for the human body

Cinnamon is useful for the human cardiovascular system, is a good preventive measure against the onset of a heart attack (especially in the elderly), helps strengthen the heart muscle and normalize blood pressure.
Studies by many scientists have proven that cinnamon is useful for diabetes, it helps to lower blood sugar levels, as well as cholesterol.
Cinnamon is useful for the liver and kidneys, helps to cleanse them and remove excess fluid from the body.
The use of cinnamon has a positive effect on the nervous system, helps fight depression, anxiety and insomnia, and improves memory.
In folk medicine, warm drinks with ground cinnamon are advised to be used for colds and influenza, as they can increase sweating, facilitate breathing and relieve swelling of the nasal mucosa with a severe runny nose, and help strengthen weakened immunity.
Cinnamon has a cleansing effect on the human body, helps to eliminate harmful substances and toxins.
Cinnamon powder is used in the fight against bad breath, for this every morning you can rinse your mouth with a solution of cinnamon and honey (a teaspoon of cinnamon + a teaspoon of honey + 1 glass of water).
Cinnamon is useful for increased gas formation in the stomach (useful for people suffering from flatulence), helps to remove bloating and discomfort in the stomach.
In folk medicine, cinnamon is used to combat diarrhea and indigestion.
Cinnamon has good antiseptic properties, it is used to gargle with sore throats, and cinnamon oil can relieve skin irritation and is used in various ointments and creams.

He also offers to watch a video about the benefits of cinnamon for the human body:

Medicinal and beneficial properties of cinnamon for women

Benefits of cinnamon for women's health. In addition to the general strengthening effect on the entire body and immunity, cinnamon is advised to be used to relieve pain during menstrual cycles.
Benefits of cinnamon for weight loss. Cinnamon is widely used in many diets for weight loss, as it well increases the metabolism in the body and does not allow fats to be absorbed, promotes their rapid removal from the body. When losing weight, honey with cinnamon and kefir with cinnamon are very popular, as they are quite tasty, well saturate the body with useful vitamins and minerals, and in this combination are most effective in the fight against excess weight.
Benefits of cinnamon for hair. Since ancient times, women have been using ground cinnamon to prepare beneficial hair masks that can strengthen, stimulate growth, restore and maintain healthy hair from root to tip. There are many recipes for making cinnamon hair mask on the net. Also, cinnamon powder is used as a hair dye (for example, cinnamon can lighten blond hair several tones at a time).

For men, in addition to the main beneficial properties of cinnamon, it is important to highlight its effect on the genitourinary system. It helps to neutralize many bacteria and fungus, increase potency and maintain men's health. The use of cinnamon is a preventive measure for the appearance of prostatitis.

Can children be given cinnamon?

Cinnamon is good for kids too. The use of this fragrant powder in small doses helps to increase the tone of the child's body, improves concentration and brain activity, helps strengthen vision, and also helps strengthen the immune system and increase the child's body's resistance to viral diseases.

Important: children under the age of 3 years should not be given cinnamon.

First of all, you need to know the measure in the use of cinnamon, since its use in large doses can cause a breakdown in the body and headaches.
Cinnamon also contains a substance such as coumarin, which negatively affects the human liver (especially if there are liver health problems or individual intolerance to this substance). Especially high content of coumarin in cassia (Chinese cinnamon), so it is better to give preference to higher quality Ceylon cinnamon, which can contain almost 100 times less of this harmful substance.
It is not recommended to use cinnamon for pregnant women, as well as during breastfeeding.
It is not advisable to use cinnamon in the presence of gastritis with high acidity, as well as exacerbation of peptic ulcers in the stomach.
Cinnamon should not be eaten during the treatment of various diseases with drugs, as this spice can interfere with their action.

How to store cinnamon at home

Storing cinnamon at home is not a complicated procedure, the main thing is to make sure that it is stored in a dark place and there is no moisture access to it. Cinnamon sticks and powder are best stored in a closed airtight glass container in a locker so that there is no access to sunlight, while it does not erode (does not lose its aroma over time)

The shelf life of ground cinnamon is on average 6 months, and cinnamon sticks up to 1 year.

Note: cinnamon is sold in stores all year round and there is no need to buy it in large quantities, especially since the fresher and better cinnamon, the more fragrant it is and has more useful properties.

Cinnamon - the benefits and harms, useful properties and contraindications of ground spices. Cinnamon: Spice, Medicine, and Weight Loss Agent Where is Cinnamon Used?

Medicinal properties

For weight loss

Accelerates lipogenesis

From cholesterol and sugar

How to use

Application in everyday life

Hair Benefits

Side effects and contraindications

How does cinnamon grow?

Cinnamon: useful properties and contraindications

Cinnamon for weight loss

Fat burning cocktail: kefir and cinnamon

Cinnamon and ginger

Contraindications and harm

The use of cinnamon in cooking

Exquisite dessert - chocolate parfait

Classic cinnamon coffee recipe

Cinnamon in cosmetology

Cinnamon with honey. Mask for the face. (tones, removes wrinkles)

Hair mask (accelerates growth)

Cassia and cinnamon, how to tell the difference?

What does cinnamon look like - photo

general description

How seasoning is obtained

What smell and taste

How to choose and where to buy

How to distinguish cinnamon from cassia

Cassia harm

How and how much to store

Chemical composition

Nutritional value of cinnamon (Cinnamonum verum) per 100 g.

Physiological role

Beneficial features

For weight loss

For diabetes

The benefits of cinnamon for women

Other Health Benefits

How much cinnamon per day can you eat

Contraindications (harm) and side effects

Application in cooking

Cinnamon Cookies - Recipe

Sinabon cinnamon buns recipe - video

What to replace cinnamon

How useful is cinnamon? The composition of the spice

cinnamon calories

The benefits (useful properties) of cinnamon for the human body

Medicinal and beneficial properties of cinnamon for women

Can children be given cinnamon?

How to store cinnamon at home

What part of the cinnamon tree becomes the spice?