Cinnamon Health Benefits

There are many natural foods that can help in a plethora of ways and cinnamon is just one of them. You may be surprised to know that the cinnamon health benefits are vast and while you may not incorporate cinnamon into your daily diet, after finding out how helpful it is you may decide to do just that. Here are just a few of the many cinnamon health benefits you may not be aware of.

1. Lowers cholesterol. High cholesterol is a major issue among many adults. By looking at the facts from studies, it has been shown that only a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon taken once per day can actually lower the bad LDL cholesterol.
2. A source of nutrients. Not only does cinnamon help by itself, it also contains iron, fiber, calcium and manganese. These are nutrients we need anyway so instead of having to take a multivitamin, cinnamon can aid in getting the needed nutrients the natural way.
3. Cold and cough aid. Cinnamon is excellent for coughing and common cold symptoms. Most people boil a cinnamon stick in water and use the water for tea.
4. Blot clot prevention. Cinnamon has an element in it called Coumarin, which is similar to the drug Coumadin, used to treat blood clots. While this is excellent for those that have conditions such as Factor V Leiden, it is suggested caution be used as to not overdose on this drug that is found in concentrated amounts of cinnamon.
5. Diabetes help. One of the more common cinnamon health benefits is the ability to lower blood sugar levels in patients with Type 2 Diabetes. It also increases the amount of insulin in the body so it acts as a natural insulin.

While a doctor's care should always be sought for more serious conditions, the cinnamon health benefits happen naturally if the product is used on a regular basis or in the case of coughs and colds, when needed. Since cinnamon has a pleasant taste as well, you really can't go wrong in adding it to your diet. Caution should be used in consuming large amounts and especially for women that are pregnant. However, when common sense is used and cinnamon is added to the diet as a supplemental item, the health benefits far outweigh the risks.