Healthy Spices

Cinnamon

This time I am taking a break from teas and I'm going to talk about spice. Many spices are good for your health and I'm working on a new book about healthy spices. Today I am going to talk about Cinnamon.

Cinnamon is called by some people a winter spice. This is probably because it is used in so many of the foods prepared during the holiday season. Who can resist cinnamon buns, or baked apples with cinnamon and walnuts and raisins in them or putting a cinnamon stick into a cup of tea. Cinnamon is one spice that I really like. It is like an accent to a good food, like sprinkling cinnamon on applesauce, or your morning oatmeal. It tastes good and it is good for you. It has many uses orally for flatulence, muscle spasms, preventing vomiting, diarrhea, infections, common cold, loss of appetite, impotence, menopausal symptoms, air freshener, cholesterol, an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial, ant repellent and it is anti-fungal.There is some promising research on the use of cinnamon for controlling blood sugar. Recent findings seem to support the use of cinnamon for diabetes. Scientists are thinking that perhaps it can be useful to diabetics But, do not go to the spice rack in the supermarket and start downing bottles of cinnamon. You could get too much!

Cinnamon was used by the ancients. The Romans, believed cinnamon was sacred and burned it at funerals. It is said that Nero burned cinnamon at his wife's funeral. Cinnamon is import in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is listed their materia medica. In Chinese medicine cinnamon is used to treat a wide variety of disorders characterized by intolerance to cold, cold limbs, weakness, soreness and coldness of the low back and knees, impotence, low libido, and loose bowel movements. Cinnamon is also used to treat digestive disorders that are cold in nature. These may manifest as epigastric pain and diarrhea. The volatile oils in cinnamon appear to have a mild stimulating action on digestion, dispel gas, and relieve spasmodic pain in the stomach and intestines. Also, in traditional Chinese medicine, the sliced twigs of the cinnamon tree are used, and are in the category of warming diaphoretics (that means they cause the patient to perspire getting toxins out of the body).. These twigs can also be used to treat pain and stiffness in the superficial layers of the body, such as muscles and joints when the pain and stiffness are due to cold and camp. 

Cinnamon is often used as part of tea blends to improve the taste of other less tasty herbs. It has powerful antibacterial properties that can be added to cold and flu remedies. It can also make a good tasting tea alone and is a good spice to keep on hand at times. 

Side effects:

Large amounts of cinnamon over a long period of time may cause some people to bleed excessivelly and Cassia oil can irritate the skin. As with all remedies be sure to discuss it with your health care provider.Here are two recipes.

Cinnamon Tea

Many teas are made with blends of cinnamon and other spices and fruits an;d herbs. Cinnamon alone can make a fine tea. Here is the simple recipe:

1 stick cinnamon, use a small stick and break it in half for 1-2 cups of tea

Sweetener as desired, Honey or Stevia are good, or your own choices

Add boiling water and steep for 10 minutes. Using powdered cinnamon will; make the tea cloudy.

Breakfast Rice with Cinnamon

1 bowl cooked rice, white or brown, either is ok

1 t cinnamon, more if desired

1 t brown sugar

Butter, as much as desired or milk

Mix ingredients and enjoy

I want to remind you that my book Ten Healthy Teas is available on amazon and I want to wish everyone a happy new year. Check out my web site at www.valerielull.com .

Valerie Lull, herbalist

Author, Ten Healthy Teas

Lullval@hotmail.com