Cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia) is beloved worldwide for more than its sweet, acrid, pungent taste. The aromatic spice lowers high blood sugar, prevents high-cholesterol, and supports healthy weight loss and digestion. It warms the body by improving blood circulation. It eases symptoms of anxiety and promotes restful sleep. Cinnamon’s major constituents are volatile oils, tannins, and mucilage. NutraTea herbalists harness cinnamon’s healing powers in several blends: Licorice and Cinnamon, Turmeric and Cinnamon, NutraLipid, NutraCleanse, NutraRelax, and NutraTrim.
Blood Regulation
When you think cinnamon, think of blood regulation. It’s a supreme circulatory tonic herb, supporting healthy blood flow throughout the body. Cinnamon is a great ally for people with pre-diabetes or Type II Diabetes. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels. Cinnamon boosts insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, lowering blood sugar. Cinnamaldehyde is the dominant flavonoid volatile oil responsible for cinnamon’s flavor, aroma, and effect on insulin. The spice’s tannins are the source of its hypoglycemic effect. NutraGlycemia is formulated with cinnamon and other herbs to support normal insulin and glucose metabolism.
Weight Management
Cinnamon supports healthy weight management by reducing levels of triglycerides, the main constituents of human body fat. Not only is it delicious, but the spice has high fiber content, providing a sense of satiety, or fullness, that may reduce snacking between meals. Also, steadier blood sugar means fewer food cravings and fewer energy “crashes.” Cinnemaldehyde also boosts metabolism, promoting loss of fat. Obesity predisposes a person to developing diabetes; cinnamon helps prevent this chronic disease. NutraTrim is a slimming tea blend containing cinnamon. Licorice and Cinnamon is another blend that promotes healthy weight-loss.
Cholesterol and Blood Pressure
Cinnamon lowers LDL levels in the blood, controlling blood pressure and keeping the arteries clear of cholesterol buildup. This all protects the heart. The NutraLipid tea blend includes cinnamon and other herbs that combat high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Warming
If your fingers and toes are always cold, or feeling chilly keeps you indoors all winter, cinnamon could help. By improving blood flow, it brings warming blood to your extremities, helping prevent cold numbness. Turmeric and Cinnamon is a warming tea blend to reach for on winter days.
Digestion
Cinnamon possesses antibacterial, anti-inflammatory properties that promote healthy digestion. As a tea, it’s an effective remedy against excessive flatulence and bloating. Its mucilage soothes the mucus membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, remedying conditions like irritable bowel syndrome. Its astringent tannins tone the GI tract, easing symptoms of diarrhea.
Sleep Aid
The spice may improve symptoms of anxiety and depression and help you sleep, taken as a supplement long-term. It’s possible this effect is due to its antioxidant volatile oils, like cinnamaldehyde. NutraRelax includes cinnamon in a relaxing blend that supports a restful night’s sleep.
Cinnamon the Plant
Native to Sri Lanka and India, cinnamon is an exuberant evergreen tree with glossy leaves that mature from red to green. Its fruits are round and brown or black, and its dainty flowers are greenish white. Cinnamon is a member of the Lauraceae family. In the wild it can grow fifty feet tall, but when farmed, the plant is coppiced every two years, i.e. cut to ground level to regrow. The spice is harvested from the tree’s inner bark and dried into cylindrical, spiral rolls called “sticks,” “quills,” or “scrolls.” The dried form can be ground into powder or made into an extract.
Cinnamon was one of the first known and most profitable spices in the spice trade. The medicinal and culinary powers of the cinnamon plant strongly shaped human geopolitical history. From a certain perspective, European explorers’ search for the source of cinnamon led to the accidental “discovery” and colonization of the Americas. Reflect on the richness of this simple plant as you imbibe healing cinnamon tea.
