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Cinnamon is used as an essential baking ingredient found in almost all pantries across America, but its uses extend beyond cinnamon rolls, snickerdoodles and spiced lattes. In fact, this classic spice hosts benefits that could bring more to the table than just a festive feel during the holidays.

This delicious spice has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years to treat a variety of ailments. Now, studies suggest that cinnamon can also be used as an efficient way to prevent fat from settling around the belly.

A study presented the American Heart Association found that the festive spice can slow down fat-storing processes and lower the risk of heart damage caused by consuming unhealthy foods.

If you’re looking to get rid of stubborn belly fat, try raiding your spice rack. A preliminary study has suggested that cinnamon may be efficient in preventing fat from settling around the belly. A study presented at a conference hosted by the American Heart Association found that the spice, commonly used in both sweet and spicy dishes, slowed the fat-storing process and lowered the risk of heart damage caused by eating unhealthy food.

For the study, scientists conducted a series of tests over the course of 12 weeks, during which time a cinnamon supplement was administered to rodents. Results showed that at the end of 12 weeks, rodents were found to have more antioxidant anti-inflammatory molecules which protected their bodies from damages caused by stress. The rodents were also found to weigh less and have a lower amount of belly fat, even if they were consuming a high fat diet.

If these results prove similar in humans, fat reduction and weight loss can be added to the long list of health benefits associated with the favored household spice. In a study published in Pharmacognosy Research, researchers listed the many health benefits of cinnamon:

• Diabetes aid – The study found that cinnamon (in certain doses) could improve blood glucose, triglyceride and cholesterol levels of patients with Type 2 diabetes.
• Alzheimer’s treatment – Cinnamon was also shown to improve resistance to insulin, which could limit Alzheimer-induced changes in the brain.
• Anti-microbial potential – Cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon prevented the growth of Listeria and E. coli in food. Cinnamon has also been found to be effective against bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and certain fungi and yeast species.
• Antioxidant source – Cinnamon has been found to be full of health-boosting antioxidants.
• Anti-inflammatory properties – Cinnamon was found to contain compounds like trans-cinnamaldehyde, caryophyllene oxide, eugenol and L-borneol — all of which prevent inflammation.
• Cancer aid – Early studies have pointed to the ability of cinnamon components to stop the growth of tumor cells while not affecting normal cells.
• Blood pressure and heart disease – Early tests have showed that ample cinnamon intake resulted in the lowered blood pressure in dogs and guinea pigs. It was also tested on rats. Scientists suspect that the spice’s cinnamaldehyde component enhanced nitric oxide function, which relaxed the blood vessel walls.

Additionally, a study by researchers at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago has found that a sprinkle of cinnamon added to a hot drink, oatmeal or cereal boosted a brain protein that improved learning ability by enhancing the organization and storage of memory. The same study also attempted to explore the cinnamon’s potential to reverse changes in the brain caused by Parkinson’s disease.

With so many benefits to be enjoyed, adding cinnamon to your diet is a delicious way to stay healthy.

Fast facts on cinnamon

• Cinnamon use goes all the way back to almost 2,800 BC.
• It was used by the Romans to treat digestive and respiratory ailments.
• It was also used in the process of mummification in ancient Egypt.
• Indonesia, China, Vietnam and Sri Lanka are the top global producers of cinnamon.
• Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama were on the quest for cinnamon and other spices when they did their famous explorations of the world.

Sources:

DailyMail.co.uk

PhCogres.com

Rush.edu