7 Health Benefits of Cinnamon

Antioxidants? Yup, cinnamon’s got plenty of ‘em. Cinnamon has several unique compounds such as cinnamic acid that act as antioxidants and help fight free radicals in the body. Other compounds like cinnamaldehyde have been shown to enhance different antioxidants in the body—think vitamins C and E. Basically, cinnamon not only brings more antioxidants, it also boosts the ones we already have.

Thanks to antioxidant power, cinnamon is pretty good at reducing inflammation, and we know high inflammation levels can lead to the onset of chronic diseases. One big study found cinnamon is able to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress levels to benefit overall health.

Cinnamon’s anti-inflammatory properties and high antioxidants make it a heart-healthy spice. Research also shows cinnamon may be helpful in protecting against heart conditions like arrhythmia and may improve cardiac function, particularly in people who do aerobic exercise regularly.

A study found cinnamon may help lower total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood. Both high cholesterol and triglycerides can increase risk for heart disease and stroke, so it’s important to keep both in check. Thank you, cinnamon.

Another study found cinnamon is effective in lowering fasting blood glucose in people with Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. Other research has shown cinnamon can help manage blood sugar after meals in people without diabetes too. Pretty sweet, right?

Like other spices, cinnamon is a prebiotic, aka it helps good bacteria grow in the gut. Cinnamon can also suppress the growth of bad bacteria like listeria and salmonella. All this helps keep your gut happy and healthy.

Remember all those antioxidant compounds? Research shows they have a neuroprotective effect by lowering inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain. Cinnamon is even being studied for its potential to help lower risk of or delay the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Convinced to eat more cinnamon? Here’s a great place to start: try Daily Harvest’s Apple + Cinnamon Oat Bowl, a flavorful breakfast swirled with delicious, good-for-you cinnamon.

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Important notes: Unless otherwise noted, nutrition information is sourced from USDA FoodData Central and reflects the reference amount customarily consumed. These are standardized servings and not necessarily the amount present in the highlighted Daily Harvest recipes. Nutrition information for Daily Harvest products can be found on packages and under "Nutrition Facts" for each product at "dailyharvest.com". Vitamin and mineral functions are sourced from Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center.