Cinnamon is a small tree that grows in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Brazil, Vietnam, and Egypt.

It's one of the oldest known spices. To prepare it, the bark of the cinnamon tree is dried and rolled into cinnamon sticks, also called quills. Cinnamon can also be dried and ground into a powder.

The characteristic flavor and aroma of cinnamon comes from a compound in the essential oil of the bark called cinnamonaldehyde.

Although there are four main varieties of cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon and Cassia cinnamon are the most popular.

Ceylon cinnamon is sometimes called true cinnamon. It is more expensive and has a sweet taste. The quills are softer and can be easily ground in a coffee grinder.

Besides using it in cooking, cinnamon is also thought to have health benefits.

In traditional Chinese medicine, Cassia cinnamon is used for colds, flatulence, nausea, diarrhea, and painful menstrual periods. It's also believed to improve energy, vitality, and circulation and be particularly useful for people who tend to feel hot in their upper body but have cold feet.

In Ayurveda, cinnamon is used as a remedy for diabetes, indigestion, and colds, and it is often recommended for people with the kapha Ayurvedic type.

What is the Scientific Evidence for Cinnamon's Health Benefits?

Recent studies have found that cinnamon may have a beneficial effect on blood sugar.

One of the first human studies was published in 2003 in a medical journal called Diabetes Care. Sixty people with type 2 diabetes took 1, 3, or 6 grams of cinnamon in pill form daily, an amount roughly equivalent to one quarter of a teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.

After 40 days, all 3 amounts of cinnamon reduced fasting blood glucose by 18 to 29%, triglycerides by 23 to 30%, LDL cholesterol by 7 to 27%, and total cholesterol by 12 to 26%.

Preliminary lab and animal studies have found that cinnamon may have antibacterial and antifungal properties. It's active against Candida albicans, the fungus that causes yeast infections and thrush, and Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria responsible for stomach ulcers.
Source(s):
http://altmedicine.about.com/od/cinnamon/a/cinnamon.htm

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We are doing the cinnamon capsules for blood sugar and they DO work! And cheaper than meds too. And cinnamon will not hurt you in reasonable quantities.
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Relieves diarrhea & nausea. Soothes congestion. Helps circulation. Aids meabolism of fats.
Source(s):
Prescription for Nutritional Healing

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