Cinnamon - An Everyday Product That Helps With Weight Loss

Cinnamon is a popular spice well known to almost every person interested in the preparation of food.

Mentioned in writings from China as early as 2800 BC, it was used extensively in mankind's earliest civilizations such as the Egyptians and Romans. It was also mentioned in the Bible in the times of Moses. Later the original home of cinnamon, Ceylon, was fought over by the Portuguese, Dutch and finally the English in order to secure not only regular supplies but also to gain a monopolistic position.

The original home of the spice is Ceylon, which still produces the most sought after product. It comes from a small tree that has its bark removed and dried in the sun so it forms itself into a roll of dried bark. This produces a cinnamon stick used in Asian cuisine. The stick when ground produces the popular spice found in small glass jars.

The tree that produces the original bark is now cultivated widely in Sri Lanka, whilst a similar tree is cultivated in alternate places such as Vietnam, Indonesia, India, and Brazil.

In Asia cinnamon sticks, or quills, are used in the preparation of curries and meat dishes, whilst in the west the ground form of the cinnamon bark it is more often used in sweet bakery dishes. Stewed apples and other fruit go very well with cinnamon; however, the versatility of the spice is such that it can be used successfully in a multitude of ways.

The quality of cinnamon produced today various enormously, with the best type produced in Sri Lanka. This cinnamon has the Latin name Zeylanicum or Verum and is considered superior to the more readily available spice from the Cassia tree, 40% of which is produced in Indonesia.

The European health authorities have issued warnings about the long-term use of the product produced from the Cassis tree as it contains a moderately toxic substance called Coumarone, which is not present in the Sri Lankan cinnamon.

For those people who take cinnamon on a regular basis for helping with weight loss then it is advisable to search out the Sri Lankan product.

Cinnamon is recognized as having a very high antioxidant level - far superior to that of both pomegranate and blueberries. There are as many antioxidants in a teaspoon of cinnamon as there is in a cupful of pomegranate liquid or half cup of blueberries.

However, the recent interest in cinnamon is because of its growing reputation as a product that can help in weight loss. Whilst it should not be the main attack to reduce weight, every little helps, especially when the product in question is so readily available and cheap. Moreover, by using cinnamon on a variety of foodstuffs, it is very pleasant to eat. Cinnamon for weight loss should be considered as a log term strategy and as a supplement to a weight loss program that includes a diet of nutritious food allied to regular physical activity.

Recent research into cinnamon has found that it has the effect of enhancing the 'good' cholesterol whist getting rid of the 'bad' cholesterol. This reduces the risk of heart disease. The addition of cinnamon to the diet also reduces the risk of type-2 diabetes.

Cinnamon is a low glycemic index (GI) product. That means that it has the effect of reducing blood sugar levels - it does away with the 'spike' in blood sugar level associated with eating high GI food. This causes the food to be digested slower resulting in less hungry periods in between meals. Less food consumed equals less fat consumed equals less fat in the body.

The recommended daily amount of cinnamon to be consumed to help with weight loss is about 1 teaspoon to 1.25 teaspoons. There is no particular way of eating it. Spread on breakfast cereals, particularly muesli is excellent. Also, sprinkle over plain yoghurt. It can be used with any stewed fruit or fruit pies, but one of the best methods of use is with honey to make a drink. It can also be shaken on drinks such as coffee, tea, and chocolate.

Cinnamon is an excellent product to use to combat weight gain. Its readily available, cheap and recent medical research indicates the benefits of its use in helping with weight loss.

After having a weight problem some years ago, the author, Gareth Black, developed an interest in the medical condition of being over weight and the benefits of an obesity pill.
He writes articles for web sites dealing with this major problem including a review of the best weight loss pills on the market.

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