Cinnamon is one of the world’s most popular spices, and it’s easy to understand why. Not only does cinnamon add a delicious flavor to a variety of foods, but it also has a variety of health benefits.
Cinnamon comes from the bark of the sweet, aromatic evergreen tree called Cinnamomum verum, also known as C. zeylanicum. Cinnamon is native to Asia but is now grown in many countries worldwide. It is now not limited to Asia. Instead, it is one of the most widely used spices and food flavorings worldwide.
The chemical composition of cinnamon varies depending on the part of the tree and its location of growth. The main constituents of cinnamon include cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, and cinnamic acid. Cinnamon is rich in phytonutrients that are beneficial for human health. These include phenolic acids, flavonoids, and carotenoids. Each has its own benefits and applications in the human body.
In this article, we’ll take a look at five of the benefits of cinnamon. There are more than five, but we will focus on those with the most abundant evidence in animal and human clinical trials. So, keep reading to learn more!
1) Cinnamon can improve blood glucose levels in people with diabetes
Diabetes is a disease where the body is unable to produce enough insulin, and the insulin it produces is not well received by the cells, something known as insulin resistance. This problem with a hormone can result in hyperglycemia or high blood glucose, which can have damaging effects on the body and the mind.
Recent studies have shown that cinnamon can significantly reduce blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes. The findings show that adding cinnamon or using supplements daily can improve blood glucose levels by acting on insulin resistance. Your body will be able to respond more readily to insulin, opening the gates in muscle cells, which absorb and use glucose instead of leaving it in the bloodstream.