Cinnamomum spp. of the Lauraceae family

The Active Herbalist’s products featuring cinnamon:

Coach Becca’s Sweet & Spicy Tea

Coach Becca’s Masala Chai & Chill Tisane

History & Growing:

Cinnamon hails from India and Sri Lanka, and is grown in tropical locations like the Caribbean. The cinnamon tree grows 25-60 feet tall with reddish-brown bark that is similar to the stick cinnamon’s color. It boasts yellow flowers when in bloom. The tree is grown from cuttings. Every 2-3 years, the trees are cut back. The new growth that emerges the next year is harvested and stripped of its bark.  (Recommended video) The bark is dried in the sun, curling into its well-known quill shaped form. Cinnamon is one of the world’s most ancient and valuable spices. Early texts from the Jewish holy book, the Torah, cite some of its first uses. It was so valuable that it was used as currency. Religious ceremonies and funerals; ancient Egyptians used it as an embalming material. Cinnamon was also used in early forms of perfume. Medicinally, cinnamon was used to treat a range of respiratory and digestive problems, and is now valued for its ability to help normalize blood sugar. Cassia and Ceylon are the most popular forms of cinnamon, with cassia being the more affordable and widely used option. Ceylon is thinner, sweeter, and lighter than cassia – it is easy to crumble, often sold in the quill form, whereas cassia is more often purchased ground; it’s rougher in texture, redder in color and stronger/spicier in flavor.

Parts of cinnamon used medicinally:

• The bark of the cinnamon tree.
• Twigs of the cassia cinnamon tree are used in TCM

Ways to consume cinnamon:

• Ground powder and stick cinnamon is readily available and widely used in day to day living!
• Teas, tinctures and capsules are popular and easy ways to supplement cinnamon. It is lovely infused into honey; the essential oil is popular and beneficial!

* Tinctures made with bark can get a bit gloppy!

Taste:

• Pungent, Spicy + Sweet, Aromatic

Energetics:

• Warming, drying & demulcent
• “As a mucilage containing herb, cinnamon can be used as a demulcent to soothe the GI tract, and as a tannin containing herb, it can help to astringe and tone the tissues of the GI tract. These actions paired with the warming volatile oils that stimulate blood flow to the digestive lining, deliver a balanced and diffusive action that can be supportive for digestive organs.” – Gaia Herbs

Actions:

• Antidiabetic*
• Antimicrobial
• Antioxidant
• Antifungal
• Antispasmodic
• Astringent
• Carminative
• Circulatory Stimulant
• Diaphoretic
• Expectorant
• Galactagogue
• Nervine
• Stomachic
• Essential oil: sedative, analgesic, antimicrobial, antifungal (Four Thieves)

Organ systems impacted by cinnamon:

• Circulation & Cardiovascular System
• Stomach & Digestive System
• Mucosa & Respiratory System
• Nervous system
• Reproductive System
• Urinary System

Traditional Uses:

• Embalming & topical uses
  • Antibacterial properties may have helped preserve bodies and stop spread of disease
• Flavoring (wines, sweet/savory dishes)
• Ceremonial uses
• Medicinal uses as respiratory and digestive aid
• Religious ceremonies

Current Uses:

• Blood sugar balance & metabolic syndrome
  • Research supports cinnamon can help prevent and treat T2 diabetes (late onset) by increasing cell’s ability to respond to insulin and aid in the stabilization of blood sugar levels.
  • Cinnamon may also help with weight loss and reducing high blood pressure as well as aid in lowering cholesterol, so it may be beneficial for those with metabolic syndrome
  • Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, Chevallier.
• As a gentle tonic for digestion and circulation:
  • Digestion, diarrhea and bleeding (antimicrobial, astringent, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant)
  • Nausea, indigestion, flatulence, colic
• Menstrual relief (antispasmodic, nervine)
• As a “driver” in herbal formulas, much like ginger.

When to reach for cinnamon:

• When you need a bit of a warm – up!
• As a flavoring agents to decrease the use of artificial agent or sugar
• For digestive and/or cold relief

Dosage:

• ½ teaspoon of powdered cinnamon, which is approximately one cinnamon stick, per day
• High doses can upset the stomach and/or cause a drop in blood sugar

Contraindications: 

• Avoid high doses!
• Cinnamon is considered very safe.
  • May be less beneficial for blood sugar regulation in T1 diabetes, as cell sensitivity to insulin is not the issue.
  • I have used low amounts of chipped cinnamon in tea blends for warming, stomachic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and flavoring purposes, not blood sugar balance purposes.

Planetary, Elemental & Dosha Discussion:

• Cinnamon is quite pitta in nature, being warm and dry! It may be very beneficial for the kapha constitution when in need of stimulation, but as we say so often any dosha can benefit from an herb when its indicated and properly formulated for long term use. Vata dosha can benefit from its warming nature. Pitta doshas can benefit from sympathetic treatment as long as it does not aggravate any patterns of heat/excitation- or dryness for either the vata or pitta dosha.
• Cinnamon is certainly a Fire element plant with its warming and stimulating effects!
• Upon reading that the cinnamon tree boasts yellow flowers, I immediately thought this plant must be ruled by the Sun! Some cite the ruling planet as Mars, and this would also make sense given its affinity for driving circulation. The bark of cassia cinnamon is also reddish in tint, a signature of the Red Planet.

Citations:

• The Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, Andrew Chevallier
• Body into Balance, Maria Noel Groves

Recipe of the Week:

Spicy Cinnamon Tea

6-8 oz hot or boiling water

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon whole clove

½ – 1 teaspoon dried or fresh ginger, or strong ginger tea frozen into an ice cube.

Honey to taste

Directions: Combine ingredients in a heat-resistant mug and allow to infuse for 20-45 minutes. Strain and enjoy!