There’s no denying that when it comes to living our lives, finding ways to make the most out of it in a healthy manner is a dream we aspire for. According to health experts, adding more cinnamon to your diet could make the dream a reality. Numerous studies have compared the powerful spice with cinnamon being the clear winner, even outranking ‘superfoods’ such as garlic and oregano. From diabetes control to protecting our cardiovascular health; cinnamon could be the cure for helping to boost longevity.
Cinnamon has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, the world’s most common cause of premature death.
The spice helps to reduce levels of total cholesterol, “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, while “good” HDL cholesterol remains stable.
Cinnamon has also shown to help those suffering with high blood pressure and reduce the risk of age-related conditions including Alzheimer’s disease.
With so many health benefits listed, its no wonder experts praise the spice as being a powerful remedy to boosting your longevity.
READ MORE: How to live longer: Consume this spice to reduce heart disease risk and inhibit cancer
A study published in the Diabetes Care journal in 2003 suggest that cassia cinnamon (cinnamon bark) improves blood glucose and cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes and may reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease, said Diabetes.co.uk
The health site continued: “A daily intake of just one, three, or six grams was shown to reduce serum glucose, triglyceride, LDL or bad cholesterol and total cholesterol after 40 days among 60 middle-aged diabetics.
“Another study reported in the July 2000 edition of Agricultural Research Magazine found that consuming just one gram of cinnamon per day can increase insulin sensitivity and help manage or reverse type 2 diabetes.”
Professor Kourosh Kalantar-zadeh said: “Cinnamon in food reduces gas by decreasing the secretion of gastric acid and pepsin from the stomach walls, which in turn cools the pigs’ stomachs during digestion.
“Supplemental cinnamon is chosen as a representative therapeutic agent due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and free radical scavenging properties in the gastrointestinal tract.
“These advantageous characterises make this spice an ideal candidate for maintaining normal digestive functionalities and intestinal barrier integrity under the heat-stress condition, while at the same time it has relatively minor adverse-effects that cause minimum disturbance on the intestinal microbial community.”
Cinnamon is a highly delicious spice and can be added to both savoury and sweet dishes.
It has been prized for its medicinal properties for thousands of years.
Modern science has now confirmed what people have known for ages; cinnamon is one of the healthiest spices to consume.
From adding the spice to drinks such as smoothies, sprinkling on warm porridge, to adding to home baking such as banana bread; the options are endless.