Cinnamon tagged posts

Cinnamon, the well-known aromatic spice that many of us use to bake cakes and cook savory dishes, is derived from the inner bark of Cinnamomum trees. These are evergreen trees found in the Himalayas and other mountain areas, as well as in rainforests and other forests in southern China, India and Southeast Asia.

In addition to its unique flavor, cinnamon could have other beneficial properties for humans. For instance, studies suggest that cinnamon has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties, and can also boost the immune system.

Some works also showed that its bioactive compounds could boost brain function, particularly memory and learning. Yet the validity of these findings is yet to be established with certainty.

A team of research...

Cinnamaldehyde induces fat cell-autonomous thermogenesis and metabolic reprogramming. Metabolism, 2017; 77: 58 DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2017.08.006

New research from the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute has determined how cinnamon might be enlisted in the fight against obesity. Scientists had previously observed that cinnamaldehyde, an essential oil that gives cinnamon its flavor, appeared to protect mice against obesity and hyperglycemia. But the mechanisms underlying the effect were not well understood.

Researchers in the lab of Jun Wu, research assistant professor at the LSI, wanted to better understand cinnamaldehyde’s action and determine whether it might be protective in humans, too...

Cinnamon (1 tsp) copyright American Heart Association

Cinnamon may lessen the risk of cardiovascular damage of a high-fat diet by activating the body’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory systems and slowing the fat-storing process, according to a preliminary animal study presented at the American Heart Association’s Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology | Peripheral Vascular Disease 2017 Scientific Sessions.

In the study, researchers fed rats cinnamon supplements for 12 weeks along with a high-fat diet. They found: The rats weighed less and had less belly fat and healthier levels of sugar, insulin and fat in their blood, compared to rats that did not receive cinnamon with their high-fat foods...