Cinnamon Bark – 5000 years of success, and counting
Jayson Kroner, CSN
For thousands of years, this aromatically-intriguing spice has remained as one of the most popular and revered in kitchens spanning every corner of the globe. But here’s something that you might not know – some species of this time-honored evergreen bark, especially those native to various regions of southern Asia, have been a key source of healing and wellness for nearly 5000 years.
Long before we were reaching for conveniently-prepared cinnamon shakers to zest-up our favorite culinary dishes, some of the earliest recorded Chinese healers were using it to help villagers overcome a number of digestive and excretory challenges. These included pain, nausea, indigestion and kidney problems, just to name a few.
Today, thanks in part to remarkable advances in the nutritional sciences, we now have a much deeper understanding of cinnamon, as well as the beneficial effects inherent to species such as Ceylon Cinnamomum verum – one of the plant’s most popular medicinal sources. While it’s commonly regarded as a safe and effective natural digestive aid, mounting research continues to suggest that Ceylon and Chinese cinnamon bark extracts may be helpful in supporting healthy insulin and blood sugar levels as well.
This was evidenced by a 1999 double-blind, placebo controlled study that was published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Pharmacology. 60 individuals living with type 2 diabetes were administered cinnamon in doses that ranged from 1 to 6 grams daily. After 40 days, subjects treated with cinnamon showed marked improvement in not only blood sugar levels (18-29%), but also experienced significant improvements in total cholesterol (12-26% improvement, on average), reductions in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol (by 7-27%), and triglycerides (by 23-30%). HDL “good” cholesterol levels were unaffected.
With insulin, digestion and cholesterol at the core of so many common health concerns, supplementing with a quality cinnamon bark extract is clearly on of the easiest ways to take charge of these three key area of health.
Infinite Health Resources does not at any point, for any circumstances suggest that you do not follow or stop medical advice of your physician. We do not advocate any drugs that has not been prescribed by your physician, nor suggest that we are medical doctors nor are we giving medical advice. Infinite Health Resources is here purely as a resource. |
