I can’t imagine my kitchen without cinnamon. I use cinnamon in everything – tea, coffee, yogurt, cakes, fruit salads, even hot sauces for meat.
In order for cinnamon to be beneficial to the body and improve the taste of dishes, it must meet several conditions. Number one: use fresh spice in your recipes. The longer you keep spices, the less useful the substances will be.
It is also desirable to buy cinnamon sticks and grind them yourself. Also, you must know that cinnamon is of several kinds, and you may never know what kind of powdered cinnamon you buy.
Cinnamon from Ceylon is lighter and has a more intense flavor. Cinnamon from Indonesia, which is often called “false” cinnamon, has a darker color, with shades of dark red, and has a strong flavor. It is the best choice if you buy sticks of cinnamon from Ceylon.
You can check if cinnamon is original by dripping a few drops of iodine on it. Cinnamon from Ceylon will change color only slightly, while that from Indonesia will turn an intense blue, as it contains a lot of starch.
The properties of cinnamon
- A pinch of cinnamon contains the daily recommended dose of manganese, iron and calcium. These substances are absorbed well in the body.
- Cinnamon is a natural coagulant, which prevents blood thrombi and improves circulation.
- The antibacterial properties of cinnamon prevent infections, as it contains substances that destroy bacteria and fungi.
- Cinnamon is a powerful antioxidant that prevents diseases of the cardiovascular system and also the development of diabetes and cancer if consumed regularly.
- Cinnamon lowers blood sugar and cholesterol, and it improves the vascular system of the brain and that of the internal organs.
- Cinnamon boosts metabolism and helps in losing extra pounds. It is enough to drink a glass of warm water with a pinch of cinnamon in the morning on an empty stomach to speed up all processes in your body, as cinnamon acts as a natural stimulant.
We also recommend a great snack containing apple slices, chopped nuts and cinnamon powder. If you replace your usual spreads with such a healthy snack, you will do your body an enormous favor.
It is also very useful to drink tea with milk and cinnamon or hot milk with cinnamon and honey. These drinks normalize the overall condition of the body, relax the nervous system and boost immunity.