Cinnamon Powder – Benefits, Effects and a Guide to be Safe

Have you ever had a cinnamon roll with a coffee at the end of a long day? Does that sensation able to mesmerize you and make you think “How good it is to be alive?” If you ever had this combination and if you are a cinnamon lover, you know the feeling I’m talking about. This will be unfolding to tell you the story of this great ingredient – Cinnamon powder.

What is ground cinnamon?

Cinnamon powder, also known as ground cinnamon, is a grinded spice prepared from dried inner barks of cinnamomum trees. Cinnamon is widely used in the world due to its health benefits. Majority of cinnamon users use powdered form of it for fulfill their daily requirements.

What are the benefits of cinnamon?

Cinnamon is a famous flavoring agent which you will not notice its taste in many dishes but without it, the sophisticated mildness of taste is lost. For this reason, it is one of the main ingredients in European and Arab recipes. This spice was introduced to Europe by Arabian traders, and they have kept the real source of this ingredient as a secret for centuries. Not only did they keep it hidden, they also made magical stories as a cover-up. During the Middle Ages, cinnamon was more of a luxury than a mere commodity, the possession of which showed the status in the society. After many more years, they found that high quality variety of this spice comes from a country called Ceylon, today Sri Lanka where it is an endemic plant.

This valuable spice is good for health illness including Diabetics, Cholesterol, Arthritis/ Osteoporosis, Cancer, Parkinson’s disease, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, Candida yeast infections, Metabolic syndrome, HIV, HSV-1 & HSV-2 and more. In addition, it fights against Infections & viruses. Cinnamon powder has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, insect repellent abilities, anti-fungal properties and related range of powerful properties.

Is ground cinnamon good for you?

Yes. If you are selected ground cinnamon for your consumption, it works same as cinnamon. The product quality is difficult to determine in the powder form. Hence, the consumer should put special attention while purchasing powder form of cinnamon.

How do you use ground cinnamon?

You can add ground cinnamon to your curries, coffee or tea. It is widely used in bakery products such as cinnamon rolls. It is possible to sprinkle some on your fruit platter. Cinnamon is also great with baked sweets.

Align with the modern medicine practices, ground cinnamon capsules are available in the market. It is an alternative way to intake daily dosage. But, natural intake with foods is the recommended way to intake.

Ground cinnamon for Diabetics

According to a study published on Diabetics care on December 2013, low levels of cinnamon has ability on the reduction of glucose, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels in subjects with type-2 diabetes. The researchers gave 1, 3, or 6 grams of cinnamon powder to diabetic patients for 40 days.

Study concluded all range (1-6g) of intake including less than 1g daily intake is also beneficial in controlling blood glucose and lipid levels. It adds the consumption for more than 20 days was more beneficial than shorter use.

Ground cinnamon and honey for weight loss

Cinnamon and honey is a great combination for improve your health. Both are used for centuries as a food and medicine. The combination of two can have strong effect.

Add one teaspoon of ground cinnamon to a cup of hot boiling water, let cool. Then add one table spoon of bee honey to the water-cinnamon mixture. Drink a half in the morning before breakfast and drink the balance on an empty stomach before sleep.

Metabolic syndrome is a collection of risk factors including abnormal fat, high blood sugar, high blood pressure and LDL cholesterol. A review article published by Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences in 2016, concluded that use of cinnamon can be effective in reducing complications under Metabolic syndrome including weight. This double blind, randomized, placebo controlled clinical trial led on 44 patients with type 2 diabetes. The intake was 3 g/day C. verum for 8 weeks.

How much dose should you take a day?

The recommended daily intake (RDI) of cinnamon is recommended by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as 6g per day up to maximum 6 weeks. It equals one tablespoon of cinnamon powder per day.

Side effects of ground cinnamon

Cinnamon usually causes no side effects. But, there are two things you have to give attention before use ground products.

As first, the quality of the product is important. The visual identification has less ability to provide a clear idea about the product quality, source, variety or related characteristic under the powder form. There are chances to add admixture and use low quality cinnamon for grinding. The product in your hand may mix with dust of a chap product other than cinnamon.

Use of low quality product is harm for your health and subjected to various side effects.

The second thing of you have to give your attention is the variety of cinnamon. Four major cinnamomum varieties are in the market as Cassia (from China), Saigon (from Vietnam), Korintje (from Indonesia) and Ceylon (from Sri Lanka). Cassia, Saigon and Korintje varieties are commonly categorized as Cassia cinnamon and the major characteristics are almost same. Ceylon cinnamon is totally different than others. The Cassia cinnamon covers 89% of the market (Korintje Cinnamon 43%, Chinese Cassia 32%, Saigon cinnamon 14%). Ceylon cinnamon covers only 9% from the market.

Cassia varieties contain Coumarin. It is a natural toxin available in many foods. The longer use of Coumarin can cause liver damage. Cassia contains more than 400 times of coumarin content with compared to Ceylon cinnamon.

German BfR has warned against use of Cassia  due to its high coumarin and recommended to use Ceylon cinnamon which contains low levels of coumarin.

Ceylon cinnamon powder

Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum syn. C verum) is the safe cinnamon variety in the market. It is rare and expensive. Sri Lanka, the county known as Ceylon until 1972, holds the monopoly of C verum supply in the world. It is 80-90% of the world’s true cinnamon supply. The balance comes from few other Asian countries as little quantities.

Topical climate and rich soil in Sri Lanka provides a great platform to grow up high quality spices including Ceylon cinnamon. Sri Lanka is the home land of Ceylon cinnamon and the country does not cultivate Cassia or related varieties.

Where to buy a Safe Product?

Sri Lanka is the place to buy C. zeylanicum /C verum powder. The products may import to your country and it may available in your nearest spice shop.

Approximately 90% of the world’s cinnamon supply is Cassia, Saigon and Korintje cinnamon. So, Ceylon cinnamon is not the cinnamon which is commonly available in supermarkets and grocery stores.

Buying tips

It may not from Ceylon

If you are buying cinnamon as sticks, you can distinguish Ceylon cinnamon and Cassia according to the appearance. But, how do you select it in powder form? Is difficult and you skills may not enough to identify the difference between them.

Admixtures are there

Be safe from admixture. Ground cinnamon can be mixed with other cheap varieties (Cassia) easily. There is no way to identify the quality unless a lab test.

Low quality Ceylon cinnamon

Ceylon cinnamon has different qualities (grades). Low quality grades such as ‘H’ grades are widely used to prepare ground products. If ground cinnamon is cheaper than the sticks in same product, they may use low quality sticks or garbage.

Most of people use ground cinnamon for medical purposes and it is a long time use. Use of fake or admixture products will create health risk over than expected health benefits.

So, if you able to buy the product from Sri Lanka from a trusted seller, it is the best way to obtain the true product.

How to prepare ground product at home?

The flavour and aroma compounds are unstable and will quickly disappear from ground products. So, storing as sticks and grinding when required is an ideal option for home users.

Own preparation of ground cinnamon is a safe way to consume the pure product. It keeps you away from admixtures. Special attention is required to keep the preparation process at home temperature to protect chemical compounds.

You can buy pure Ceylon cinnamon as sticks and turn it into ground cinnamon using a small grater (microplane). The home grinder is the next option. The process should not be generated additional heat.

Conclusion:

Cinnamon is a popular spice and it helps to prevent, reduce or eliminate range of health illness. Powder form of cinnamon is widely used in the world. It prepare through grinding cinnamon bark.

Among Cassia cinnamon and Ceylon cinnamon use of Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum syn. C verum) is always recommended due to its low coumarin content. Sri Lanka, the country known as Ceylon until the commonwealth, is the source of high quality Ceylon cinnamon.

The quality of cinnamon is unable to determine in the powder form. Low quality cinnamon bark can be used for cinnamon powder or it is easy to add admixture. Hence, select a trusted seller for your safety.