Cinnamon Bark

Other Names: Some of the other names of cinnamon bark are cinnamon, cassia, cinnamon twig , cassia aromaticum and cassia bark.

Useful Parts of the Plant: The useful part of the cinnamon tree is the outer bark which is commonly used as a spice and for various natural medicinal treatments. However the inner bark of the cinnamon tree is known to have more medicinal effects and also contains more essential oil.

Cinnamon bark is a commonly used spice that is obtained from the Cinnamon verum tree found in Sri Lanka and India. The cinnamon bark spice is known to be available throughout the year and is most ideal to be consumed as a tea especially during winter as it has a warm and sweet taste and is also very aromatic. The two main varieties of cinnamon bark are Ceylon and Chinese of which the Ceylon variety is more refined and sweeter as compared to the Chinese variety.

Nutritional Information and Properties of Cinnamon Bark

With regards to its nutritional information and properties, cinnamon is known to be a very good source of iron, calcium and dietary fiber as well as manganese. There are various nutrients present in cinnamon such as sodium, carbohydrates, sugar, fatty acids, amino acids and so on.

Health Benefits and Therapeutic Uses of Cinnamon Bark

The health benefits of cinnamon bark are mostly on account of the three main components found in cinnamon bark namely cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamaldehyde and cinnamyl acetate.

Cinnamon bark is known to have anti-clotting properties that help in preventing the unwanted clumping of the blood platelets. Platelets are basically the constituents of blood that are required to clump or clot the blood in case of an injury so as to minimize and eventually stop the bleeding. Sometimes if the platelets clump together too much then they may restrict the flow of blood. This is taken care of naturally by consuming the cinnamon bark as a herbal treatment.
Cinnamon bark is also effective for those suffering from type2 diabetes as it improves the ability of the individual to respond to insulin thereby normalizing the blood sugar levels of the person. In fact cinnamon bark is found to also inhibit the enzyme that inactivates the insulin receptors.
Another one of the health benefits of cinnamon bark is on account of its aroma which tends to boost brain activity and also uplifts one's mood thereby acting as a natural treatment for depression and anxiety.
One of the most important health benefits of cinnamon bark is that helps in improving the health of the colon and the heart. Such conditions are known to be life threatening medical conditions. Cinnamon bark is a very good source of iron, calcium and dietary fiber which tend to bind the bile salts and help in their elimination from the body.
Cinnamon bark also helps in lowering the levels of bad cholesterol and hence is also effective in preventing heart disease and arteriosclerosis.
The dietary fiber present in cinnamon bark also acts as a natural treatment for relief from diarrhea , constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.
Cinnamon bark is also a dietary recommendation for weight loss as it helps in reducing high insulin levels and also brings down the blood sugar levels.

In addition to its various medicinal uses the essential oil from the cinnamon bark is also used in mouthwashes, toothpastes, soaps, lotions, detergents, liniments, pharmaceutical products as well as certain cosmetics. With regards to its culinary uses, cinnamon bark is also used as a flavoring agent in certain beverages and also as a spice.

However before consuming cinnamon, you should be aware that the consumption of excessive cinnamon bark may result in dilation of the blood vessels as well as changes in your breathing.