Cinnamon is a spice that people rely on when making everything from apple pie to French toast. It is made from the bark of the cinnamon tree and is either rolled into cinnamon sticks (called quills) or ground into a fine powder.
Although there are several varieties of cinnamon from countries like India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Brazil, Vietnam, and Egypt, Ceylon cinnamon and Cassia cinnamon are the most popular. Ceylon cinnamon, often referred to as true cinnamon, is the most expensive varietal. Cassia cinnamon, which is darker and harder, is the type most commonly found in grocery stores.
Beyond its use in cooking, cinnamon is believed to have medicinal properties. Alternative practitioners believe that cinnamon can lower blood sugar, treat superficial fungal infections, and reduce inflammation and pain. The current research remains split on whether cinnamon can deliver on these promises.
Health Benefits
Cinnamon has been used for centuries in traditional medicine. In traditional Chinese medicine, Cassia cinnamon is used for colds, flatulence, nausea, diarrhea, and painful menstrual periods. It is also believed to improve energy, vitality, and circulation, particularly in people with cold feet.
In Ayurvedic medicine, cinnamon is used as a remedy for diabetes, indigestion, and colds, and can help balance a person's kapha (physical and emotional energies). It is also a common ingredient in chai tea and cinnamon tea, both of which are believed to improve digestion.
Alternative practitioners attribute numerous therapeutic properties to cinnamon, most especially Ceylon cinnamon. Among the conditions cinnamon is believed to treat are:1
- Diabetes
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Metabolic syndrome
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Yeast infections (candidiasis)
- Oral infections
- Common cold
- Hay fever (allergic rhinitis)
Cinnamaldehyde is known to exert antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that may help treat certain metabolic, infectious, digestive, or respiratory disorders.1 Here is some of what the current evidence says:
Metabolic
Studies have found that taking cinnamon can help lower blood sugar. Studies have shown that it may be beneficial to people who have diabetes or prediabetes.
This is not to suggest that the metabolic benefits of cinnamon are uncontested. There are few well-controlled studies currently available (including those listed above).
A 2010 review from Germany, evaluating high-quality randomized controlled trials, concluded that cinnamon's benefit in controlling blood sugar was "promising" but that its impact on weight loss and blood pressure remains largely unsubstantiated.4
Infectious
Studies have found that cinnamon has antibacterial and antifungal properties. In test tube research, cinnamon is active against both Candida albicans, the fungus that causes yeast infections and thrush, and Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria responsible for stomach ulcers.
Cinnamon essential oil was able to neutralize 50% of Candida strains, according to 2016 laboratory research published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. Moreover, the oil was seen to be effective against strains resistant to the antifungal drug Diflucan (fluconazole).5
Unfortunately, there is little evidence that cinnamon has the same effect when taken orally. This is especially true with H. pylori. Research published in 2014 suggests that cinnamon supplements fall well beyond the therapeutic threshold needed to eradicate this hard-to-treat bacteria.6
Digestive
Sipping cinnamon tea is a common, homespun remedy for indigestion. In looking at its effect on digestion, researchers in Australia conducted a pilot study involving the effects of two cinnamon-containing remedies on 31 people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).7 One remedy was designed for constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C) and the other for diarrhea-dominant IBS (IBS-D).
This suggests that cinnamon may either promote intestinal motility or have a mild laxative effect. Beyond this, there remains little evidence that cinnamon can treat diarrhea. Moreover, the overconsumption of cinnamon may lead to heartburn, exacerbating the symptoms of indigestion.
Respiratory
Cinnamon essential oil, when used for aromatherapy, may help ease congestion, improve mood, and boost energy. While some alternative therapists believe that it can also strengthen the immune system, thereby preventing colds and flu, there is no evidence that cinnamon in any form affects the immune response, either innate or adaptive.
Where cinnamon may help is in the alleviation of the nasal symptoms accompanying colds, flu, and hay fever. A 2014 study in the Journal of Herbal Medicine reported that a nasal spray containing cinnamon extract improved nasal symptoms in 20 people with allergic rhinitis compared to 20 given a placebo. After four weeks, the twice-daily spray improved pulmonary function measures with no notable side effects.
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