As the saying goes, variety is the spice of life. It is, to a certain degree, since too many options might also turn out to be way too confusing. And while this might not work for those who want everything in Life, this need for 'variety' can be validated by a simple example: the need to change something about your food with different herbs and spices at least once in a while.
Trust me, it's just as bad to use one type of spice for the food as opposed using far too many of them together, and perhaps, a bit of balance play a key role in making the appropriate amount of change.
Yet it's not just about having acquired tastes (at least, when it comes to food) but also about how beneficial to health, these spices can be.
Among the many spices that are used these days, one of the most beneficial spices in terms of health is that offered by cinnamon, which is used in the preparation of several foods, and which will discussed a little later as well.
So, here is a little background on the spice, cinnamon.
Cinnamon – Background
This spice is obtained from trees belonging to the Lauraceae family, and Sri Lanka is the country that produces the largest amount of cinnamon every year. There are other versions such as Indonesian, Chinese and even Vietnamese cinnamon as well but the fact of the matter is that the type that is exported by Sri Lanka is considered to be 'true cinnamon'.
Normally, the tree from which cinnamon is harvested is grown for two years after which the stems and branches are cut. So once this is done , the outer bark is scraped after which it is beaten so that the inner bark is loosened, making it much easier to be removed in long rolls.
Another important part of this process is drying the inner bark for at least four to six hours, and after this they are cut into 5 to 10 cm lengths and are ready to be sold.
Apart from the aforementioned producers of cinnamon, it is also cultivated in southern India, Bangladesh, Madagascar, Zanzibar, Egypt, the West Indies, and Brazil.
Here is a nice article on the History of cinnamon if you're interested in knowing more.
Uses of Cinnamon
While being used as an aromatic oil for medicinal purposes (and here is a list of benefits of cinnamon oil at this link), its most important use is that in the preparation of foods such as cereals, desserts, candies, teas, cocoa and liqueurs, chocolate, dishes of chicken and lamb, bread and fruit-based dishes. What is noteworthy is that this spice is used widely in Persian cuisine until this day.
Cinnamon Health Benefits
There are several cinnamon health benefits other than just helping you pleasure your taste buds, and here are some of the benefits that you might have not been aware of:
#1: Improves cognitive function and memory
#2: A combination of honey and cinnamon can help relieve the pain that arthritis causes. Doctors say that the pain is considerable lessened by one week, and is completely reduced.
#3: Cinnamon provides its users with benefits that are associated with nutrients such as calcium, manganese, iron and fiber.
#4: Prevent blood from clotting.
#5: Regulates blood sugar, and can be helpful for those with Type 2 Diabetes.
#6: Lowers LDL cholesterol levels in the human body.
#7: Works as an excellent food preservative.
#8: Prevents the growth of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.
In Closing
And yes, variety is the spice of life, even if it is in regards to spices itself…
