Honey and cinnamon have been used as food and in traditional medicine for centuries. They are recognized across cultures for their distinct healing properties, and diverse ability to provide relief for a wide range of health conditions. In combination, honey and cinnamon contain complementary agents that work together to even more effectively resolve health problems, than when consumed individually. So while also delicious, the sweet and spicy pairing is a natural way to reduce symptoms of common health issues, and maintain your overall well-being.
Why Cinnamon?
Cinnamon is a spice derived from the leaves and inner bark of several tree species distributed in India, Egypt, China, Sri Lanka, and Australia. Cinnamon contains antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties that are largely attributed to cinnameldehyde, a major molecular compound in cinnamon. It is important to note that there are two main types of cinnamon; Cassia cinnamon, native to China, and Ceylon cinnamon, native to Sri Lanka. While Ceylon cinnamon is less accessible, it is considered to be more authentic, and possess stronger health benefits.
Why Honey?
Honey is a sweet substance produced by honeybees from plant nectar, it is rich in carbohydrates, fructose, and glucose. Much like cinnamon, honey also contains strong antioxidant and antibacterial capacity. It also has specific anti-inflammatory ability that has been shown to significantly reduce inflammation in human and rat tissues. While exact mechanisms behind honey’s biological effects are unknown, they are often linked to the presence of phenolic compounds. It is important to note that these effects are far more evident in raw, unprocessed honey than in liquid, gold pasteurized honey found in grocery stores.
Read: Cinnamon Has HUGE Health Benefits… But ONLY If You Buy THIS Kind (Most is worthless)
Honey & Cinnamon: Now That’s Even Better
Together, honey and cinnamon have strong anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-microbial effects which prove beneficial in the treatment of a variety of health problems! Read on to discover four widespread health issues that can be helped by ingesting this dynamic duo!
1. The common cold
Many of us are familiar with the common cold, especially during the winter time. Essential oils in cinnamon have been shown to kill species of bacteria characteristic to the common cold such as; E.coli and L.monocytogenes by causing damage to their cell membranes.
In combination with honey, which is known to boost immunity by reducing the formation of free radicals, your common cold does not stand a chance against a honey-cinnamon blend. Try this basic mix for when you have a cold, or even daily use!
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon raw honey
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Stir in honey and cinnamon into hot water and sip while hot or warm once or twice a day while fighting a cold.
2. Digestive issues
Digestive issues such as constipation, stomach gas, ulcers, and gastroenteritis can be treated by combining honey and cinnamon. Honey, consisting mainly of glucose and fructose is capable of being quickly transported into the blood, and used as energy in the metabolism of food. Honey also contains long carbohydrate chains, oligosaccharides, that have been shown to have pre-biotic effects, activating helpful bacteria to aid in digestion.
The distinct anti-microbial functions of cinnamon may help relieve gastroenteritis (food poisoning) experienced by bacterial infections in the stomach. Honey also has been observed to externally destroy H.Pylori, a stomach-ulcer-causing bacteria.
So replace greasy French fries with roasted sweet potatoes dressed in honey and cinnamon. Watch this quick and easy recipe from the food network below.
3. Acne
Both honey and cinnamon are rich in anti-microbial properties that destroy and prevent the colonization of bacteria on the skin. It is no surprise then, that cinnamon oil mixed with honey is a common skin care treatment that is used across the world to prevent acne. In fact, combining 3 tablespoons of honey with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon can be applied as an overnight acne spot treatment.
4. Arthritis
Cinnamon and honey have prominent anti-inflammatory properties that are not yet fully understood scientifically. While no formal studies have observed the effects of cinnamon and honey to treat rheumatoid arthritis in humans, studies performed on animals have shown them to drastically reduce inflammation and improve arthritic pain. Given the strong anti-inflammatory properties of cinnamon and honey, enjoying a cup of honey and cinnamon tea to aid arthritic pain may prove to be effective!
Combining cinnamon and honey into your diet is an ancient practice that has persisted over centuries, for its undeniable healing capabilities. Be sure to try out these simple ways of implementing honey-cinnamon mixtures into your lifestyle to prevent against a multitude of health issues!
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1297490/pdf/jrsocmed00002-0059b.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3074916/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/91597-benefits-ground-cinnamon-skin/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/47350289_Cinnamon_and_Health
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2013/679680/abs/
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07315724.2008.10719745?scroll=top&needAccess=true
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