Cinnamon is a spice with a tantalizing and interesting history. Many wars were fought over cinnamon and the right to trade it, with the first war starting around 2700 BC. At one point, cinnamon was even more valuable than gold in Ancient Egypt due to its many uses in flavoring foods and drinks and as an embalming agent.
Today, cinnamon is one of the most popular spices, and for good reason! Not only does it taste amazing, but it can sweeten food without the addition of sugar, and it has many incredible health benefits.
So, in honor of National Cinnamon Crescents Day, we’re sharing a recipe for delicious cinnamon crescents and lots of information about cinnamon’s many health benefits.
Cinnamon’s Health Benefits
Cinnamon is a potent spice that has been traditionally used for many thousands of years. Here are just a few of the fantastic health benefits that cinnamon has:
Anti-inflammatory Properties
Cinnamon has been shown to be one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory foods. Researchers concluded that cinnamon may even help treat age-related inflammatory conditions.
Another study showed that cinnamon essential oil applied topically to the skin may support reduced redness, pain, swelling, and inflammation in the skin.
Please note that we recommend always diluting essential oils before applying them to the skin - especially cinnamon which can burn if not diluted properly.
Stabilizing Blood Sugar
Cinnamon has long been used to support healthier blood sugar levels, making it a favorite among people with diabetes. Research backs this up with a cinnamon study review showing that out of a group of cinnamon and blood sugar studies reviewed, most of the studies showed positive potential for cinnamon to reduce blood glucose levels. Some of the studies had blood sugar reductions as significant as 18 to 29%!
Another study demonstrated that cinnamon may help block multiple digestive enzymes, resulting in slower absorption of sugar after a meal heavy in carbohydrates.
As always, we recommend consulting with your healthcare provider before taking herbs if you have a medical condition or take pharmaceutical drugs. However, we were thrilled to see these studies' amazing results demonstrating that cinnamon may support healthier blood sugar levels!
Muscle Soreness
One six-week study on a group of female athletes had positive results showing that the women consuming cinnamon powder daily had a decrease in muscle soreness throughout the six weeks. Ginger combined with cinnamon may be especially effective, according to this study.
Reduced Cholesterol
In addition to helping support a lower blood sugar level, participants in many cinnamon studies also decreased their total cholesterol, especially their LDL cholesterol levels, typically known as the “bad cholesterol” levels.
In this study, daily cinnamon consumption was shown to have a “statistically significant” decrease in participants’ fasting plasma glucose, LDL-C, and total cholesterol levels.
Some fantastic ways to incorporate cinnamon into your day-to-day life:
- Cinnamon Capsules: Our Cinnamon Capsules are an easy way to incorporate cinnamon into your everyday life. These are especially popular among individuals looking to support normal blood sugar levels. Cinnamon is also frequently used in weight loss formulas due to its thermogenic properties.
- Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil: This spicy essential oil is warming and encourages clear, free expression of feelings. Many people enjoy using this in a diffuser to warm up a room. It’s also been used traditionally for relieving menstrual cramps and its antiseptic, analgesic, and stimulating properties.
- Cinnamon Powders: An easy way to incorporate cinnamon into your life is by learning to cook with it! Cinnamon is easy to include because it’s wonderful in both savory and sweet dishes. We offer delightful Ceylon Cinnamon, Cinnamon Ground, Vietnamese Cinnamon Ground, and Cinnamon Sticks, all of which have their own unique flavor.
- Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil: This woody, spicy, and sweet essential oil is fantastic for aromatherapy or adding to carrier oils, bath salts, soaps, salves, massage oils, and lotions.
Love tea? These cinnamon teas are sure to hit the spot!
- Cinnamon Cha Cha Rooibos Tea: Love a spicy tea? You’ll love this warming, caffeine-free tea. We’ve added a touch of orange and premium rooibos to make this a true delight for the senses.
- Cinnamon Bun Rooibos Tea: If you love a sweet cinnamon bun but want to find a healthier swap, you’ll love our warming Cinnamon Bun Rooibos. Our Cinnamon Bun Rooibos Tea is packed with polyphenols, antioxidants, and more. It’s also caffeine-free, making it a great post-dinner dessert tea!
- Golden Milk Tea: Our Golden Milk Tea has a rich, earthy taste from the turmeric root and ginger root included in this tea. Cinnamon sweetens this tea up. Ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon are all known to support lowered inflammation, so this is an ideal choice for someone looking for an anti-inflammatory herbal tea choice.*
- Hazelnut Cinnamon Black Tea: This decaffeinated black tea is a great afternoon or evening choice. You’ll soon find yourself in a world of delicious richness from the cream and cocoa nibs and enveloping warmth with hazelnut and cinnamon.
Quick Cinnamon Crescent Recipe
If you’re looking to celebrate Cinnamon Crescent Day with delicious cinnamon crescents, we recommend trying this quick and easy recipe!
A cinnamon crescent is essentially a croissant filled with a decadent, sweet cinnamon filling. The crescent typically has a light, flaky texture, making this a flaky, warm, and luxurious dessert to enjoy with a cup of hot tea!
Ingredients needed:
- 1 8 oz can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
- ⅛ cup butter softened
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (We recommend adding a little more if you really want to WOW with the cinnamon flavor)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract (for glaze)
- 1.5 tbsps milk (for glaze)
Check out the full recipe at Food.com here.
We hope today’s article on cinnamon’s many health benefits and ways to incorporate it into your life was helpful! Happy Cinnamon Crescent Day - we hope you’ll join us in eating a yummy cinnamon dessert or cup of tea.
Warming Cheers,
Natalie & Leilah