HEALTH CORNER: CINNAMON: Not Just for Sticky Buns!

Did you know that Cinnamon can be beneficial in everything from lowering blood sugar to weight loss to healing pimples? 

It's true...  

Cinnamon is a small evergreen tree belonging to the family Lauraceae, native to Sri Lanka[1]. Known from remote antiquity, Cinnamon was the first mention of a particular spice in the Old Testament, when Moses was commanded to use both sweet cinnamon (Hebrew קִנָּמוֹן, qinnāmôn) and cassia in the holy anointing oil. In Proverbs, the lover's bed is perfumed with myrrh, aloe and cinnamon. And, in Song of Solomon, the writer described the beauty of his beloved as "cinnamon scents her garments like the smell of Lebanon." It was so highly prized among ancient nations that it was regarded as a gift fit for monarchs and even for a god. Though its source was kept mysterious in the Mediterranean world for centuries by the middlemen who handled the spice trade, to protect their monopoly as suppliers. 

Cinnamon was imported to Egypt as early as 2000 BC. Those who report Cinnamon comes from China confuse it with cassia.[7] It is also alluded to by Herodotus and other classical writers. Too expensive to be commonly used on funeral pyres in Rome, the Emperor Nero is said to have flaunted his wealth by burning a year's worth of the city's supply at the funeral for his wife Poppaea Sabina in AD 65.

PLEASE NOTE: What is sold as Cinnamon in the US is actually Cassia. A chemical called coumarin in Cassia could be toxic. So when you buy Cinnamon make sure it is real Cinnamon and not Cassia. (CLICK LINK BELOW TO COMPARE, also view the Wikipedia article, for the difference between Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum, synonym C. zeylanicum) and Cassia (Cinnamomum aromaticum, synonym C. cassia. Below link also has true organic cinnamon for purchase) http://www.ceylon-cinnamon.com/Identify-Cinnamon.htm

ADDITIONAL READINGS:

Brief History of Cinnamon:

American Botanical Council, articles on Cinnamon:

Cinnamon's impact on Lower Blood Glucose and Cholesterol: 

RESOURCES:

(A) Wikipedia article has extensive references and links, and should be read to fully understand the difference between Cassia and Cinnamon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamomum_verum

(B)  http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html

STAY TUNED FOR PART II IN NEXT QUARTER'S ISSUE: 
 "The Power of Cinnamon & Honey"