I have fond memories of mother buying cinnamon bread topped with frosting as a treat. We also liked to sprinkle cinnamon powder and sugar on bread instead of jelly. Now we make all our own bread and invariably add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the mix. The compliments we get for its flavor affirm our enjoyment of it.
I have fond memories of mother buying cinnamon bread topped with frosting as a treat. For variety, we also liked to sprinkle cinnamon powder and sugar on regular bread. All our homemade bread now contains a teaspoon of cinnamon. People notice and compliment its flavor.
The use of cinnamon goes far back in history. Ancient books, including the Bible, contain cinnamon in recipes, especially because of its aroma. China was using cinnamon 2800 years before Christ. In Ancient Egypt and Rome, cinnamon was part of the embalming process. Medicine and flavoring were other reasons Egyptians used cinnamon. By the Middle Ages, only the rich could afford these spices. In fact, a person’s rank was announced by how many spices he owned.
The name cinnamon comes from the Greek kinnamomon, derived from the name Ceylon. Cinnamon is the brown bark of the cinnamon tree. A rolled up piece of bark we call a cinnamon stick is officially called a quill. You can purchase cinnamon in this form or as a powder. Cinnamon gets its scent and flavor from a chemical compound called cinnamaldehyde.
Genuine cinnamon only comes from Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), where over 11,000 tons is exported each year. That would fill up 150,000,000 spice bottles the size we buy! However, most cinnamon powder sold in the US is actually cassia or Chinese cinnamon. The sweeter Sri Lankan cinnamon is probably only available in spice shops.
Though most commonly used as a spice, cinnamon has a variety of health benefits. For example, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon daily can lower harmful cholesterol. It may also help to regulate blood sugar, a great benefit to those with Type 2 diabetes.
The Weekly World News for January 17th, 1995 contained an article listing twenty-one health problems that might fear the patient taking honey and cinnamon regularly. These included toothache, common colds, insect bites, arthritis, heart diseased, and bladder infections.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland showed that cinnamon reduced the spread of some cancer cells such as leukemia and lymphoma. Cinnamon also has an anti-clotting effect on the blood. It has also quickly decreased arthritic pain. Cinnamon is an excellent inhibitor of food spoilage and bacterial growth, meaning it a natural food preservative.
Cinnamon helps fight E. coli bacteria and is a boost to brain functions. It is rich in calcium, fiber, iron, and manganese, and can help prevent colon cancer by removing bile from the digestive track. Fiber in cinnamon can also help with the relief of constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.
Cinnamon contains antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic properties. It helps in fighting off yeast infections in the mouth and vagina, and reduces the risk of stomach ulcers and head lice. This remarkable list of health benefits is due to its three basic types of essential oils.
A cinnamon based hand sanitizer is called ‘thieves’ oil’ because grave robbers would use it to rid themselves of the ‘demons’ of bubonic plague by dousing themselves in it. It is made from equal amounts of cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, lemon, and clove with rosemary therapeutic grade essential oils You make it mixing equal amounts of rosemary therapeutic grade essential oils and eucalyptus, cinnamon bark, lemon, and clove. This is mixed with a carrier of olive oil or jojoba.
In addition to the active components in its essential oils and its nutrient composition, cinnamon has also been used for its warming qualities. Cinnamon, as a tea with ginger, provides relief from the onset of a flu or cold. This drink also is reported to provide relief from menstrual problems.
Overdosing on cinnamon can be toxic so use it with caution. Neither should you let cinnamon replace medications you are taking. Cinnamon should be stored in glass containers in a dark, dry, cool place. A sweet smell indicates it is still fresh.
Sage Leaves Benefit Problems With Fevers
Medicinal herb is a popular choice in providing medical solutions these days. Although many manufactured medicines are flourishing, still, most people go for what is natural. Most of these natural herbs have healing properties as well as benefits beyond healing. There are proven ways of making sage leaves an essential element in some culinary dishes and concoctions.
Burdock Herb Is Vitamin Rich And More
How many of us can recall times of walking through an open field, only to be annoyed by the burrs we collected on our socks or pant legs? Those burrs might well be the only unwanted part of the burdock plant. It grows wild in Asia, Europe, and North America. If you eat the root, it tastes sweet and feels gummy. The stalks taste like celery, and the leaves are bitter like dandelion.
Comfrey Herbs Help Those With Colitis
Comfrey has also been called boneset, nipbone, knitbone, and healing herb and for good reason. It has a long history of effectiveness as a healer plant, especially for being able to knit bones.
