Antimicrobial, Anti-inflammatory, Digestive aid, Antispasmodic, Antibacterial, Antifungal, Antiviral, Anti-nausea, Anti-diarrheal, Mimics insulin
Terpenoids, Phenolics (tannin, coumarin, eugenol)
This Site is for Educational Use Only: The information on this page is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. I am not a licensed medical professional. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any medicinal plants, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a medical condition.
Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of the tree, which is one of those origin facts that sounds obvious once you know it. We have been peeling and drying tree bark and putting it in our oatmeal and I think that's beautiful.
I am a cinnamon girl. Cinnamon with apples specifically is one of life's great simple pleasures and I will not be elaborating further because some things just are what they are.
Beyond being one of the most beloved spices on the planet, cinnamon is aromatic, astringent, a mild stimulant, and antimicrobial. It stimulates circulation and over time can strengthen blood flow to the hands and feet, making it genuinely useful for people dealing with poor peripheral circulation. If your hands and feet are always cold, cinnamon is worth adding to your regular routine.
It also shows significant results in reducing fasting blood glucose levels for people with diabetes, which makes it one of the more clinically interesting entries in this database for metabolic health. It protects tissue against oxidative damage, can regulate genes in the small intestine making it helpful for digestive issues, and positively affects the gut microbiota overall. It also supports IgA antibody levels in mucosal secretions, which circles back to that point we keep making throughout this database: some mucous is good and the body needs it functioning properly.
Safety note: Cinnamon rarely causes allergic reactions unless you have a specific allergy to it. Otherwise it's one of the safest entries in this database, which is very convenient given that it's also just a delicious food you're probably already eating.
Medicinal properties of ‘true’ cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum): a systematic review https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3854496/
Cinnamon https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/cinnamon
A Review on Medicinal Uses of Cinnamomum verum (Cinnamon) https://jddtonline.info/index.php/jddt/article/view/5145/4314
Cinnamon: A Multifaceted Medicinal Plant https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4003790/
Immunity Boosting Foods by Donna Beydoun Mazzola, PhD
Herbal Remedies by Andrew Chevallier
Disclaimer: The content on this website is provided for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. No provider-patient relationship is created by use of this site. The author makes no representations regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information and assumes no liability for any adverse effects resulting from the use of plants or remedies described herein.
Who wrote it? What are their credentials? Who published it and why? A wellness blog and a peer-reviewed journal are not the same thing, even when they say the same words. Always click through to the original source.
Science updates over time. A 2003 study on a supplement may have been contradicted twelve times since. Always look for the publication date and whether newer research exists. "Studies show" means nothing without a timestamp.
Who funded the study? A supplement company funding research on their own supplement is a conflict of interest. It's not automaticly a disqualification, but worth noting. Look for the "funding" or "disclosures" section of any study you read.
Not all research is equal. A randomized controlled trial carries more weight than a case study or an animal study. "A study found..." could mean ten people in a lab or a decade-long population study. The difference matters enormously.
If only one source is saying something, be skeptical. If ten independent sources across different institutions, different countries, different decades are saying the same thing, you're getting warmer. Consensus is earned, not declared. Studies should be peer reviewed.
The National Institutes of Health database (PubMed) is free and searchable. Examine.com aggregates supplement research without selling anything. Both are significantly more reliable than any wellness influencer, including me.
