Cinnamon in Ayurveda
Cinnamon is one of those popular spices that have garnered much fanfare around the globe due to its uniquely sweet and spicy flavor. Today, it is a favorite ingredient in curries, desserts, pastries, and beverages like tea and coffee.
Not many however are aware of Cinnamon’s well-documented roots entrenched in the ancient text of Ayurveda. Ayurveda has long known of this fascinating spice’s benefits on the overall wellbeing and health of humankind. As such, Ayurveda has prescribed cinnamon to tackle a variety of benign and chronic ailments throughout its long and glorious history.
Cinnamon's Timeless Tale: A Flavorful History
Cinnamon or Cinnamomum Verum is a tropical bushy tree that is predominantly found in the evergreen forests of India and Sri Lanka. Like bamboo, a cinnamon tree is known to be independent and self-sustainable; they can grow exponentially without any interference from us whatsoever.
According to Ayurveda, cinnamon has many therapeutic benefits and is often found in many ayurvedic formulas. The cinnamon’s fragrant bark is known to increase the bioavailability of other nutritious food items. As such Ayurveda recommends cinnamon in a variety of ways to accomplish optimal wellbeing.
Cinnamon is an abundant source of antibiotic and antioxidant properties. In this article, we will look at all the benefits that the human body and mind can harness from this fragrant bark and acquaint you with appropriate ways to consume it for the best results.
Cinnamon's Spice and Everything Nice: The Benefits Unveiled
Spice Up Your Digestion with Cinnamon: A Natural Remedy
As cinnamon is a warm spice that perfectly combines the sweet, pungent, and spicy flavors, it can work wonders in improving your digestive system. It pacifies Kapha and can also bring balance to Vata. You can smoothen up your digestion by sprinkling this spice on top of your rice and vegetables along with other ingredients like ginger, saffron, and black pepper. Adding it to your favorite smoothie can also be a wise decision. Cinnamon can also be used by the Pitta types; however, we recommend it in only smaller quantities.
Cinnamon's Antioxidant Power: A Spice That Packs a Punch
Cinnamon has been found to contain powerful antioxidant properties that aid in slowing ageing and preventing damage caused by free radicals in the body. Till date, researchers have found over 41 different protective compounds in Cinnamon. With the help of this compound Cinnamon can help in repairing damaged tissues, fighting infections, and tackling chronic conditions like stroke, diabetes, and cancer head-on. As a powerful antioxidant, it also prevents the buildup of nitric oxide in the blood and avoids fat peroxidation.
Cinnamon's Fire-Fighting Flavor: A Natural Anti-Inflammatory Hero
Due to a variety of flavonoids found in cinnamon, there are many studies that signify cinnamon’s role in fighting and preventing inflammation in our bodies. It is this very ability of cinnamon that also makes it effective in tackling headaches and rheumatoid arthritis. Cinnamon has long been used in Ayurveda as an effective pain reliever. As such, Ayurveda prescribes cinnamon to heal pain, muscle soreness, and effectively eliminate allergic reactions.
Breathe Easy with Cinnamon: Clearing the Way for Respiratory Health
Cinnamon is particularly favored in winters by Ayurveda. Its warming qualities are a welcome gift that helps the body protect the body against cold weather and the ailments such seasons bring with them. It is the best remedy out there to comfort, soothe, and clear up one’s airways for comfortable breathing. Cinnamon is an active ingredient in many Ayurvedic cold remedies. We recommend boiling cinnamon with other herbs like ginger and pepper to make a piping hot cup of tea for relief in harsh cold weather.
Cinnamon's Sweet Secret: Managing Type 2 Diabetes Naturally
Diabetes occurs when the insulin produced by the pancreas fails to be absorbed by an individual’s cells, resulting in the buildup of sugar in the body. Cinnamon has shown significant results in managing the levels of sugar in the human body. Cinnamon can force the muscle cells to remove sugar from the bloodstream where it can be converted into energy. Cinnamon can also repair the receptors responsible for cells being able to absorb excess insulin.
Cinnamon's Warm Embrace: Nurturing Heart Health Naturally
By reducing the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and managing blood pressure, cinnamon also becomes one of the best tools to prevent heart disorders like strokes. In fact, supporting people with heart disorders is considered to be cinnamon’s most prominent health benefit. Its ability to repair damaged tissues is also important in keeping the heart protected from chronic conditions that can develop and prove dangerous to your life.
Cinnamon's Brain Boost: Spice Up Your Cognitive Health
Cinnamon is known to regulate neurons in the brain and encouraging new neurons to grow without an issue. Cinnamon specifically helps in blocking the build-up of a protein called tau, which is directly responsible for the development of Alzheimer’s disease. It significantly boosts brain health and helps keep conditions like Parkinson’s from ever developing in the first place.
Cinnamon's Aama Armor: Preventing Accumulation for Better Health
‘Aama’ in Ayurveda is the buildup of harmful toxin in our bodies that can completely derail our normal way of life. Cinnamon is a great antidote to eliminate ‘aama’ from our bodies as it is effective in digestion and decimating inflammation. As such, it is also a great muscle relaxer that can bring reprieve from pain, especially in the joints.
Spice Up Your Daily Diet with Cinnamon: Creative Ways to Incorporate this Healthful Ingredient
There are multiple beneficial ways of incorporating cinnamon in our daily lives. Here are just a few of the most effective methods:
- Bring cinnamon with other herbs like ginger and pepper to a boil for a comforting hot tea.
- Add cinnamon to your favorite fruit and vegetable smoothies
- Sprinkle cinnamon over your rice, vegetable, porridge, and curry.
- Add cinnamon to a cup of Greek yogurt for a quick snake
- Make cinnamon an active ingredient in the cakes and bread you bake.
Wrapping Up
Apart from the above benefits, there are many other health benefits that cinnamon is being studied for and needless to say, the results thus far have been promising. In the absence of modern medication, cinnamon has always been a powerful Ayurvedic spice that aided Ayurveda experts in combating a range of benign and chronic ailments. Cinnamon is a great spice to have stored in your kitchen and should be a part of a regular diet to monumentally improve the quality of your life.
Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, supplement, fitness, or other health programs.
