Cinnamon is a spice, which by popularity is not inferior to any other one in cooking. It is this oriental seasoning that gives baking and desserts a unique sweet-woody flavor. But do not consider it solely as a spice. In a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, there are as many antioxidants as in 150 g of blueberries, and in saturated polyphenols, ground cinnamon surpasses all other spices. Cinnamon is a dried tree bark of trees called cinnamonum. When the strips dry up, the bark is curled into the tubes. These cinnamon sticks are milled to a state of flour or used to make mulled wine, meat and poultry dishes.
The historical homeland of cinnamon is Sri Lanka, where it is cultivated today. The most useful is the native Ceylon cinnamon. Its less useful but cheap analogue – the Chinese cinnamon that grows in Australia and the Southeastern Asia. A mixture of essential oils, tannins and resins creates that unique tart and warm flavor of cinnamon. Want to know how to benefit from the use of cinnamon? Here you will be able to discover how many useful properties this spice has and which spheres you can apply it.
Contents
- Application number 1: Helps to improve health and get rid of different diseases
- Property number 2: Makes hair healthy and beautiful
- Property number 3: Promotes rapid and safe weight loss
- Property number 4: Positively affects sexual life of both men and women
- Video
Property number 1: Helps to improve health and get rid of different diseases
Useful properties of cinnamon have been known since ancient times. In Chinese medical works, this spice often appears as a universal remedy for getting rid of various ailments. Also, cinnamon is mentioned in the ancient Indian treatise on the health and even in the Old Testament.
Cinnamon is rich in:
- potassium,
- manganese,
- iron,
- copper,
- selenium and zinc,
- vitamins of group A, B1, B2, B9, C, E, K.
The antioxidant polyphenol affects the insulin receptors and lowers blood sugar, therefore doctors recommend including cinnamon in the ration of patients with diabetes of the 2d type.
Medical research has proved that the use of this spice positively affects the work of all vital systems of the body.
Which functions does cinnamon perform for the health improvement?
- It increases the general tone,
- Strengthens immunity,
- Helps in concentration of attention,
- Improves visual memory,
- Has anti-inflammatory and hemostatic properties,
- This fragrant spice has a beneficial effect on the work of the intestines,
- Eliminates discomfort in the stomach,
- It is useful in flatulence,
- Good for women’s health as dishes and drinks with cinnamon can help ease premenstrual syndrome and eliminate painful sensations,
- Representatives of the strong half of humanity will also be able to appreciate the properties of cinnamon because it has not only a stimulating effect, awakening sexual desire, but also positively affects the quality of potency. The aroma of cinnamon can significantly increase the susceptibility of erogenous zones and activate the work of the sex glands.
- It is rich in minerals, which make up for the deficiency of manganese, chromium and calcium.
- Elderly people who notice age-related changes in the arteries and veins, it is useful to use cinnamon to prevent heart attack. This seasoning reduces the level of cholesterol, prevents the formation of blood clots. Also, regular cooking with this seasoning can strengthen the heart muscle, normalize blood pressure.
- Cinnamon is effective to fight against arthritis, including chronic stage of this disease, pain disappears, and movements become easier.
- With various memory disorders, sclerosis, insomnia and depression, cinnamon will have a positive effect.
Cinnamon and Honey from Colds
The therapeutic mixture of cinnamon and honey is one of the most effective and delicious ways to treat colds. Cinnamon greatly enhances the benefits of honey – the antibacterial properties of these two natural components enhance vital functions, activate metabolic processes, help in the fight against viruses.
Recipe:
- Take a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon,
- Add a tablespoon of natural honey,
- Mix both ingredients,
- Take the mixture three times a day when you have cold or for the prevention of flue.
Contraindications for cinnamon use:
- Cinnamon and honey treatment isn’t recommended if you have fever.
- Coumarin, contained in cinnamon, can cause a headache.
- Cinnamon cannot be consumed by people suffering from high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases. Spice causes heart palpitations.
- Cinnamon dilutes the blood, so it is contraindicated for people with low coagulability.
Important: With all the obvious benefits of cinnamon, you should be careful using it during pregnancy. In large quantities, it can lead to a reduction in the uterus. Remember that the daily norm of cinnamon should not exceed 6 g.
Back
Property number 2: Makes hair healthy and beautiful
Cinnamon is a universal seasoning that allows not only to change the taste of dishes, giving them a noble aroma, while beneficially affecting the health of the internal organs but also successfully used in cosmetology. Due to its antioxidant properties, cinnamon actively stimulates blood circulation inside the skin and hair follicles. Therefore, even in ancient Egypt, this seasoning was used in hair masks.
Functions of cinnamon in the hair masks:
- Cinnamon gives the hair vitality,
- adds hair a silky shine,
- stimulates hair growth,
- restores its structure.
In addition, cinnamon masks give the hair a pleasant aroma and they are easy to apply. Such masks are recommended to those who have fragile and dull hair. But before using cinnamon, it is advisable to make sure that there is no allergic reaction to this spice.
Cinnamon Recipes for Hair Beauty:
Recipe 1: Cinnamon with honey and olive oil from hair loss
A wonderful restoring effect is provided by cinnamon mask in a combination with honey and olive oil.
- Mix 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon,
- Add 2 tablespoons of warm olive oil,
- Add 2 tablespoons of liquid honey.
The resulting mixture is applied to damp hair, then the head is wrapped in film and a towel. Keep the mask for at least 45 minutes, after which the hair should be rinsed with shampoo with slightly acidified water to give shine. This mask effectively fights with hair loss.
Recipe 2: Cinnamon plus egg and tomato for the hair volume
To increase the volume of hair, and to prevent split ends, a mask of cinnamon with an egg and a tomato is suitable. To make it you should follow the instructions here:
- Grind the ripe tomato into a gruel,
- add one tablespoon of sunflower oil,
- add 1 tbsp of honey,
- add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and beaten egg.
The mask is applied over the entire length of the hair for 20 minutes, after which the hair needs to be washed with shampoo and rinsed with water and lemon.
Recipe 3: Cinnamon with onions and garlic for hair growth
For rapid hair growth use a mask of cinnamon with onions and garlic:
- Mix the gruel of one onion,
- Add four grated cloves of garlic,
- Mix ingredients with two teaspoons of cinnamon,
- And add one tablespoon of honey.
The mixture is rubbed into the roots of the hair, after which the head must be wrapped in a film, covered with a towel or a handkerchief on top. Half an hour later, the head needs to be washed with shampoo and rinsed with a warm decoction of nettle.
Recipe 4: Cinnamon and kefir mask for moisturizing hair
For those wishing to get a moisturizing effect, a mask with kefir is suitable:
- Take one glass of kefir,
- dilute in it a teaspoon of cinnamon and egg yolk.
When applying the mask to the roots of the hair, it is advisable to make a light head massage. The mask should be kept for at least an hour, after which it should be washed with shampoo.
Important: After such masks it is not recommended to dry hair with a hairdryer, since hot air makes hair brittle and lifeless.
Back
Property number 3: Promotes rapid and safe weight loss
Another miraculous property of cinnamon is that it is helpful for the rapid and safe weight loss. Thanks to this seasoning, you can lose up to 2 kg of excess weight per week, without exhausting yourself with prolonged monotonous diets and heavy physical exercises.
How does cinnamon promote weight loss?
- This spice has the ability to several times increase the metabolism in the body, so that fat deposits are burned faster.
- The incoming food will be faster processed into energy, not having time to “settle” in fatty tissues.
- Also, cinnamon accelerates the process of sugar processing, normalizing the level of glucose in the blood.
- In addition, cinnamon restores normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, stimulating the natural processes of self-purification of the body.
- Excess fluids, accumulated toxins under the influence of cinnamon will also easily leave the body.
- It should be said about the effect on the nervous system of the flavor of this seasoning: it significantly reduces appetite, allowing you to eat smaller portion of food.
The use of sweet buns, even with a very large amount of cinnamon, alas, will not help the process of losing weight, because sugars and fats interfere with the action of this seasoning.
Cinnamon and Kefir Drink for Weight Loss
A very popular among those who want to lose weight is a delicious and low-calorie drink made from kefir with cinnamon. Its success lies in the fact that it does not harm the health, saturates for a long time, and, of course, gives a quick noticeable result. It should be noted right away that kefir for this cocktail should be chosen with the lowest percentage of fat, and cinnamon – of good quality. There is an opinion that Chinese cinnamon cassia has a greater effect, but it is necessary to think about the risk of harming your body, because eating this seasoning will not be in such small doses – it will be wiser to protect yourself from unnecessary trouble by choosing a classic seasoning from Ceylon.
There are several methods of the preparation and use of kefir drink with cinnamon:
- Method number 1: The easiest and fastest is to arrange a “fasting day” on such a cocktail. To do this, you will need to mix 1.5 liters of kefir with one teaspoon of cinnamon and put it in the refrigerator. During the day you will need to drink one glass of drink. An acute sense of hunger, and, moreover, exhaustion does not appear, because the addition of cinnamon makes kefir more nutritious, provides the supply of many trace elements and vitamins. For one such day you can lose up to 1.5 kg of weight. The main thing is not to eat much the next day, otherwise the result will quickly disappear;
- Method number 2: A slightly less noticeable effect can be achieved by replacing such a drink with only one meal a day. The best option is to drink kefir with cinnamon instead of dinner. In this case, weight loss will pass more slowly, but the result will be fixed more reliably. For a week of such a diet, it is realistic to lose 2-3 kg;
- Method number 3: Not only lose weight, but also improve the work of the intestines will help a cocktail of yogurt with cinnamon and apple. A green apple is rubbed on a grater and mixed with a glass of kefir and a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon. Thanks to fiber, which is found in large quantities in apples, this drink will help cleanse the intestines and remove harmful deposits from it;
- Method number 4: For the same purposes, it is possible to add bran and prunes to the kefir drink. For one serving of a cocktail one cup of kefir, two tablespoons of bran, two soft prunes and a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon will be needed. All components are mixed in a blender, the resulting mixture is removed in the refrigerator for 30 minutes – during this time, the bran will swell, and the drink will be ready for use. This recipe is often used to treat and prevent constipation.
Note: Stop taking kefir with cinnamon if there is pain in the abdominal cavity, upset stomach, diarrhea. Also, do not follow this diet if you have chronic diseases of the stomach and intestines.
Cinnamon with Kefir, Ginger and Pepper
In all respects, the perfect combination is a ginger and cinnamon tandem. First, these two seasonings enhance the effect of each other, and secondly, it turns out a wonderful taste composition. Ginger seriously accelerates the metabolic processes that occur in the body, actively burning fat deposits. Red pepper is also known for its ability to influence metabolism and help the better digestion and assimilation of food, it acts more aggressively than ginger. Each of these spices has the ability to burn fat, and their combination causes a superfluous triple impact on excess weight.
To prepare a kefir cocktail with spices you will need:
- one glass of low-fat kefir,
- half a teaspoon of cinnamon and ginger,
- a pinch of red pepper.
It is better not to drink it on fasting. The ideal variant of use is at night.
Cinnamon with Honey for weight loss
Honey, as well as cinnamon, helps accelerate the metabolic processes in the body. In addition, honey has a beneficial effect on the work of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys. A mixture of cinnamon and honey contains many necessary microelements and vitamins, this combination can be used even by people with diabetes. For a month of regular consumption of honey with cinnamon, you can lose up to 7 kg of weight.
In order to prepare a mixture of cinnamon and honey, you will need:
- Take a natural non-pasteurized honey,
- Take grinded cinnamon of high quality (For one serving of the drink you need to take 0.5 teaspoon cinnamon and one teaspoon of honey – this proportion is desirable to observe),
- In the evening, cinnamon is poured with boiling water in a dish with thick walls, covered with a lid.
- In half an hour the seasoning will give useful substances to the water, and the broth can be filtered.
- The liquid should be completely cooled down, only after that it is possible to add honey (when heated above 40 ° C, honey loses most of its beneficial properties).
- Half of the received drink is drunk before bed, the rest is in the morning on an empty stomach.
Note: Such decoction should not be used more often than twice a day – a greater effect is unlikely to be achieved. Weight will go away regularly, but after two or three weeks you can see that weight loss has stopped. This is quite natural: the body is used to the fact that the metabolism accelerated, and adjusted to change. In this case, you need to stop taking the drink for two weeks, then repeat the course.
Important: Сinnamon will not only have a fat burning effect, but also will allow to improve health and adjust the functions of many body systems. You just need to eat cinnamon in the right proportions, temporarily reducing the amount of fat and carbohydrates in your diet.
Back
Property number 4: Positively affects sexual life of both men and women
Cinnamon is a highly effective remedy having an erotic action. It is a wonderful enhancer of sexual functions. This spice has the properties of aphrodisiac and promotes the appearance of high sensitivity of erogenous sites.
Cinnamon contains a rich complex of vitamins (A, E, C, K, group B), macro- and microelements (calcium, manganese, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, selenium). Due to its composition, this spice affects the sexual sphere, contributes to the sensitivity of erogenous points and the filling of the body with sexual energy.
Cinnamon accelerates metabolism 20 times and reduces the level of glucose by 25%, resulting in faster production of female sex hormones. Since ancient times, the spice with honey has been an effective means for restoring libido by increasing sensitivity in the process of stimulating nerve endings near the point G. Cinnamon stimulates blood circulation. Consequently – cells are saturated with oxygen, metabolic processes are improved. The brain and the entire central nervous system as a whole works better.
Recipe 1: Сinnamon with Ginseng for men’s potency
One of the most effective recipes for potency has the following ingredients:
- Half a liter of water;
- alcohol tincture of ginseng – two tablespoons;
- a teaspoon of ground cinnamon;
- cloves – 4 pieces;
- 2 cardamom pods;
- fresh ginger root of small size;
- half a lemon;
- honey – two tablespoons;
- green leaf tea – 5 g.
Brew green tea in the right amount of water and allow it to cool. Strain and mix the remaining ingredients in it. Leave in the dark cool place for 2 weeks. Drink 50 g (1 time per day – in the evening) for a month.
Recipe 2: Classic cinnamon tea for both men and women
- Take a stick of cinnamon and put it in the brew;
- pour a glass of boiling water and insist a quarter of an hour;
- add honey, sugar, lemon to taste.
This drink should be drunk in the morning as it tones well, raises mood, helps to wake up faster.
Important: Recipes with cinnamon help to cope with sexual problems, if they are associated with overwork or nervous overexertion during several days. In case the reason is more serious, the longer treatment course is required.
Back