What is cinnamon good for: the main benefits and ways to use it

Cinnamon is a flavoring used in many culinary recipes. It stimulates the body's defenses, fights infections, and prevents stomach upsets.

This is due to the fact that it contains resins, gums, mucilage, coumarin, and tannins, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antispasmodic, and probiotic properties, according to tuasaude.com.

Benefits of cinnamon

• <b>Helps control diabetes</b> because it lowers blood sugar levels;
• <b>Prevents digestive disorders</b> (flatulence, spasmodic problems, diarrhea) due to its antibacterial, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effects;
• <b>Fights respiratory tract infections</b>, as it has a positive effect on the mucous membrane and is a natural expectorant;
• Reduces<b>fatigue and improves mood</b> as it increases resistance to stress;

• <b>Helps fight cholesterol</b> due to the presence of antioxidants;
• <b>Reduces appetite</b> as it is rich in fiber;
• Reduces<b>fat accumulation</b> because it improves tissue sensitivity to insulin;
• <b>Increases libido in men and women</b> as a natural aphrodisiac.

How to use cinnamon

To get all the benefits of this spice, it is enough to consume 1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder per day. To do this, you can add it to desserts, fruit salads, creams, mousses, or oatmeal, as well as use it as a seasoning for meat, fish, chicken, and even tofu (grind 2 pieces of star anise, 1 tsp of pepper, 1 tsp of coarse salt, and 2 tsp of cinnamon).

Another very popular method is cinnamon tea. To make it, you need to put 1 cinnamon stick in a cup of boiling water and leave it for 10 minutes. You can drink no more than 3 cups during the day.

In general, adding cinnamon is the best strategy for naturally lowering blood glucose levels, controlling diabetes, and losing weight.

Banana cake with cinnamon

Ingredients

• 5 eggs
• 2.25 cups of wheat flour
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 0.75 cups of milk
• 2 chopped bananas
• 1 cup of oil
• 0.5 cups of chopped walnuts
• cinnamon for sprinkling

Preparation.

1. Mix eggs, sugar, milk and butter, beat for 5 minutes.
2. Add the wheat flour and baking powder and mix again.
3. Transfer to a baking dish, add the chopped bananas and nuts, and smooth well until the dough is smooth on top.
4. Put in the oven, preheated to 180 °C.
5. Bake until golden brown, then remove and sprinkle cinnamon on top.

Baked apples with cinnamon

Ingredients

• 2 apples
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar

Preparation.

1. Wash the apples and carefully remove the center part where the seeds are located.
2. Put them on a baking sheet, place cinnamon sticks in the center and sprinkle with sugar.
3. Bake at 200ºC for 15 minutes or until the apples are very soft.

Side effects and contraindications

Among the side effects of cinnamon are allergies and skin irritation, so it should not be consumed in case of stomach or intestinal ulcers. In addition, it should not be consumed during pregnancy, as it can contribute to uterine contractions.