Not everyone knows that cinnamon can give benefits to the health of the body, let’s see which ones but first let’s see what it is. Cinnamon is one of the best known, oldest and tastiest spices. It belongs to the cinnamomum genus of the lauraceae family. Cinnamon is the common name of the cinnamomum bark; there are many species that differ in smell, taste and color depending on the area or land of origin, but the most important are two: cinnamomum zeylanicum, a small Ceylon tree, also cultivated in Java and the West Indies and cinnamon Chinese cinnamomum cassia. It is a spice commonly used in Italian cuisine and is easily distinguished by its color, which ranges from hazelnut to red-brown, and by its characteristic scent.

Cinnamon is often used in cooking as it makes food much tastier. Today it is mainly used for the preparation of desserts such as cakes, biscuits, fruit, candies, creams, ice cream, fruit salad and ricotta but can also be used to flavor savory dishes such as pasta or rice, fish, meat or quiches. Its stick can be added to hot chocolate to give it a more distinctive flavor and can be used as an alternative to traditional food preservatives. It is also widespread in beverages, for example in mulled wine, sangria, liqueurs and punches.
Due to the presence of active components, several beneficial properties have been attributed to cinnamon. Indeed, it seems capable of:

improve digestion, especially reducing bloating and digestive disorders
improving bowel functioning, being a good source of fiber can provide relief from constipation. It also contains calcium, iron and manganese to control blood sugar levels, thus reducing hunger attacks (thanks to the control of blood sugar and the slowing of gastric emptying speed) and the desire for sweets. In this way it helps to keep the body weight in the normal range. Studies in the scientific literature have hypothesized a possible usefulness of cinnamon powder in the management of diabetes, as it improves the ability of sick people to respond to insulin (Khan et al., 2003). However, this is a modest effect, achievable only in high doses. Furthermore, recent studies, carried out on a greater number of people, provided mixed results regarding the effect of cinnamon intake on blood sugar. For this reason, it cannot absolutely be considered an alternative to drugs used against diabetes (read the Hoax)
fight and prevent infections, especially fungal and bacterial infections, due to its antimicrobial activity
fighting cold season ailments, it is widely used, together with honey, to prepare infusions or, in the form of essential oil, to make fumigations (enough two drops dissolved in boiling water)
exercise an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, thanks to the components of which it is made up
against bad breath (conditions of halitosis)

Like any type of spice, cinnamon is also not recommended in some conditions. In the presence of ulcers or inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract (esophagitis or gastritis), for example, it is advisable not to take it because it could increase gastric acidity. Cinnamon contains coumarin, a substance that is moderately toxic to the liver and kidneys. It is therefore important to avoid too much use of cinnamon in case of impaired liver and kidney function. Furthermore, because of its effect on reducing blood sugar levels, diabetic people who take medicines to lower blood sugar (hypoglycemic) or follow insulin therapy must report to their doctor their willingness to use cinnamon and agree with him. on the most appropriate quantity,

Finally, at high dosages, cinnamon can stimulate uterine contractions and as such is contraindicated in pregnancy. Talking about the healing properties of food is difficult as well as partly wrong. Cinnamon, like many other spices, contains substances that are potentially beneficial for the body; however, it is not a miraculous food and it is always good not to abuse it, let alone use it on your own initiative as a “therapy” for some particular disease, especially if the intake of drugs is required. active components of cinnamon can be concentrated in the form of fluid extract for the production of essential oil. L’ Cinnamon essential oil is obtained from the leaves and young branches by the method of steam distillation. If you use essential oil it is good to pay particular attention to the doses and methods of use since, as for all essential oils, due to the higher concentration of the active ingredients, greater side effects and unwanted effects may occur.

Cinnamon: Among the most common side effects are:
tachycardia (increased heart rate)
intestinal disorders
tachypnea (increased respiratory rate)
sweating
In addition, essential oils are often used topically, i.e. through local applications, for example on the skin with creams and cosmetics or on the gums using toothpastes and mouthwashes. In this case, as a result of excessive use, allergic or pseudo-allergic reactions to the skin and mucous membranes, dermatitis and irritation may occur.