What is Cinnamon?
Cinnamon is a popular household spice that has been used for millennia all over the world. This spice, which was once used as currency, has a pleasant flavor and a toasty aroma that has made it popular in cookery, especially in baking and curries.
The spice comes from a little evergreen tree’s inner bark. The bark of the cinnamon tree is scraped and dried in the sun, where it curls up into cinnamon sticks. Cinnamon can also be purchased as a powder.
Advantages of Cinnamon:
Antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal activities are all present in it.
Cinnamon is widely utilized in Chinese herbal medicine and is claimed to offer a variety of therapeutic and calming effects. Cinnamon’s characteristic aroma and flavor are derived from cinnamaldehyde, an essential oil found in the bark. Cinnamaldehyde is an antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal compound.
Antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties are present.
Cinnamon also has a lot of polyphenol antioxidants in it. Antioxidants are found in fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices and can help protect the body against disease. Cinnamon’s antioxidants have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties.
It has prebiotic qualities, which may help with intestinal health.
Cinnamon, for example, has prebiotic qualities that assist with the growth of good bacteria while inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria. As a result, having spices in your diet on a regular basis may assist to promote gut health.
Cinnamon is a good source of manganese and also contains calcium and fiber in tiny amounts.
Helps lower blood pressure.
Cinnamon consumption has been linked to a short-term drop in blood pressure, according to some data. Although the research is promising, it would be premature to prescribe cinnamon for blood pressure control until a larger-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) has been completed. More recent investigations have yielded fewer encouraging results so far.
Reduces blood sugar levels and the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Cinnamon has been shown to have a moderate effect on improving glycemic control and aiding type 2 diabetes therapy. However, the results are equivocal, and further large randomized controlled trials in well-defined demographic groups utilizing standardized interventions are needed to definitely assess the efficacy of cinnamon in diabetic people. A tiny amount used in baking or for breakfast, on the other hand, will not hurt you and can be taken as part of a healthy diet.
Relieves stomach aches and pains.
Cinnamon extract has long been used in both Eastern and Western medicine to treat gastrointestinal issues. It’s been called a carminative, and it’s known for its digestive, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory qualities. Cinnamon bark oil is used to alleviate flatulence and digestive imbalance in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.
Cinnamon’s warmth is thought to help combat disease by increasing blood flow and improving blood oxygen levels. Cinnamon is used in a hot drink to help with digestive problems (much like tea). It’s easier to use ground cinnamon instead of having to grate cinnamon sticks yourself in this case.
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Dishes That You Can Make Using Cherries and Cinnamon:
Cherries with Cinnamon Dumplings:
Ingredients:
2 sacks (16 ounces each) dark delicious cherries, frozen
1 tablespoon sugar plus 1/3 cup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 cup flour (all-purpose) (spooned and leveled)
2 tablespoons powdered baking soda
Salt (1/4 teaspoon)
3/4 gallon of whole milk
Ice cream to be served (optional)
Instructions:
- In a large skillet, combine the cherries and 1/3 cup sugar. Over high heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and quickly simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until syrupy. Combine cinnamon and the remaining tablespoon of sugar in a small bowl; put aside.
- Meanwhile, combine baking powder, flour, and salt in a mixing basin of medium size; gradually stir in milk, mixing just until a wet dough forms.
- Reduce the heat to a medium-low setting. Over the simmering fruit, scoop teaspoons of dough (you should have approximately 18) and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.
- Cover the skillet and cook on low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, (alternatively, you should cook until dumplings are firm and dry to the touch). Serve hot, with ice cream on the side if preferred.
Cherries with Bourbon and Cinnamon:
Ingredients:
1/3 cup fresh cherries (300 g)
1 cup Bourbon (240 ml)
White sugar, 60 g/14 cup
1 cinnamon stick (about 10cm/4 inches long) – optional
Instructions:
- The cherries should be pitted
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and cinnamon, then pour in the Bourbon. Gently heat to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a near-boiling temperature.
- Cook for 5 minutes after adding the cherries. remove the heat
- Fill a sterilized jar halfway with cherries, squeezing the cinnamon into the middle. Make sure the cherries are well packed before adding the bourbon syrup to the top. Make sure all of the cherries are submerged completely.
- Seal and set aside to cool.
Keep them in the fridge for up to three months.
If there is still liquid after the jar has been filled, bring it to the heat and boil until it has been reduced by half. Allow it to cool before topping vanilla ice cream with the syrup.
Final Word:
We hope that this blog will help you understand the various ways that cinnamon can benefit our health, as well as the methods that you can use to combine cinnamon and cherries to prepare cuisines that are rich in both health and taste.