Before we jump to talking about the health benefits of Cinnamon as an ayurvedic home remedy for an array of ailments both common and chronic, let me digress and talk a bit about our old age wisdom of the traditional system of medicine, Ayurveda.
Ayurveda is renowned for relying mostly on indigenous herbs and sometimes elements, to come up with home remedies to treat a wide variety of health related issues. These could be as common as a cold or flu or could be chronic diseases like diabetes, piles or arthritis.
Ayurveda has gained a lot of acceptance and is being used increasingly to cure and manage a number of ailments across the globe. Ayurvedic herbs like Ashwagandha, Tulsi, Brahmi, Amla, Turmeric, Shatavari, Triphala and a range of other powerful ayurvedic herbs used for thousands of years in India for medicinal and therapeutic practices is now backed by the scientific researches and studies in Western modern medicine.
Now again, if you are wondering why I am saying this although maybe most of you might never have practiced or followed Ayurveda or contacted any ayurvedic medicine practitioner.
Let me tell you why Ayurveda is part of your diet and your lifestyle
If you are an Indian knowingly or unknowingly, you have to have been exposed to Ayurvedic herbs in your daily life and daily diet.
Have you at one point of time or another in your everyday life, consumed tea with cardamom, or tulsi leaf, or cinnamon?
Is the garam masala a permanent fixture in your kitchen which your mom (or papa) used to add that spicy flavor to food?
Have you tried small twigs of neem trees to brush your teeth? Yes that’s a real thing or used to be in the good old days. “Neem ka Datoon” was how our forefathers and ancestors managed to have shiny, white, healthy teeth and gums without any or many variations of modern day replacements like Colgate or Close Up.
I mean sometimes it makes you wonder if most of our woes or lifestyle diseases have been imported by following Western corporate made products and lifestyle choices like fries, fast and junk food.
You don’t even know the chemical composition of most of their products that you use daily for personal hygiene as well as dietary choices.
Digressions apart, let’s jump straight into why you are here in the first place
Let’s talk about the health benefits of cinnamon as an Ayurvedic home remedy which could be a panacea in managing a number of health related issues.
An Introduction to Cinnamon: An Ayurvedic Wonder Herb
Cinnamon commonly known in India as Dalchini is the dried bark of a specific tree found mostly in South India and Sri Lanka. In fact Ceylon Cinnamon (the Sri Lankan counterpart to ours) is more popular worldwide and has been therefore studied more extensively for its medicinal properties.
Dalchini or Cinnamon is a part and parcel of most of our kitchens (if you do eat homemade food). It is part of the famous “garam masala” formulation which is a staple ingredient in curries, vegetable preparation, chutneys, or even used standalone in many Indian cuisines.
In ayurveda, cinnamon or dalchini has been described as ‘tavak’. Health benefits of cinnamon as described in ayurveda include aid in curing or treating flu, edema, cough & cold, and potential benefits in regulating blood sugar levels, weight management and increased insulin sensitivity.
Before we talk in detail about the health benefits of cinnamon as an ayurvedic home remedy, let’s have a look at the Ayurvedic classification of cinnamon/dalchini.
Ayurvedic Profile of Cinnamon (Hindi Name: Dalchini)
| Ayurvedic Classification | |
| Rasa (taste) | Katu, Madhura, Tikta (Pungent, Sweet, Bitter) |
| Guna (physical property) | Laghu, Ruksha,Tikshna (Light, Dry, Piercing) |
| Virya (potency) | Ushna (Hot) |
| Vipaka (metabolic property after digestion) | Katu (Pungent) |
Cinnamon, Hindi name Dalchini, is an aromatic herb. It is in actuality the inner bark of the Cinnamomum verum or simply Cinnamon Tree. As per Ayurveda, cinnamon helps control kapha and vata and increases pitta, the three doshas (life energies) mentioned in Ayurvedic pharmacology.
According to ayurveda, the three doshas are fundamental to our physiology. These doshas are manifestations of life forces that can affect our energy, mood and overall well being.
Also Read: How to identify your dominant doshas
As long as these three doshas are in balance, our physical, mental and spiritual health remains healthy. But if these doshas are imbalanced due to unhealthy diet, lifestyle choices or work or personal stress issues,
This imbalance causes deficiencies in prakriti (natural constitution), which in turn may potentially lead to vikriti the current condition of symptoms of or disease itself.
Now let’s talk about the potential health benefits of cinnamon (dalchini) where I’ll also reference these doshas and how cinnamon helps regulate these doshas to aid in various health conditions.
Health Benefits of Cinnamon as an Ayurvedic Home Remedy
Listed below are potential benefits of cinnamon as an ayurvedic home remedy along with references wherever available or applicable.
Strengthens Digestive System and Metabolism
Cinnamon is a major digestive stimulant. Sebastian Pole in his book Ayurvedic Medicine famously wrote that just as the bark protects a tree, cinnamon protects the intestines and overall digestive system.
It has been mentioned in Ayurveda that Kapha whose main element is agni (fire) is responsible for good digestive health. It is believed that a person with balanced and healthy kapha does not gain weight even if he eats much, thereby avoiding obesity.
Cinnamon is considered good as it revs up the digestive system. It has antimicrobial anti-inflammatory and anti-parasitic properties [1] which helps improve gut health. These properties help with several symptoms of piles like constipation, infection in intestines, indigestion, ulcers and even urinary tract infections.
Aids in Blood Sugar Control, Insulin Sensitivity and Diabetes Management
Cinnamon has been used traditionally for thousands of years in Ayurveda to manage diabetes. Now it is backed by modern scientific research that cinnamon can potentially stimulate insulin sensitivity. One study found that taking cinnamon considerably reduced insulin resistance in women with PCOS. [3]
Yet another study found that cinnamon use led to significant decrease in total cholesterol level, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. [4]
Several studies have also shown that cinnamon can significantly bring down high blood sugar levels. [5] Consuming this ayurvedic herb has shown to reduce the amount of glucose that is released and enters our bloodstream.
In ayurvedic tridoshic theory, this could be attributed to cinnamon’s property to increase kapha and control vata and pitta thus making the metabolic process healthier by slowing down the breakdown of carbohydrates during digestion.
Several studies have shown that cinnamon can bring down blood sugar levels, manage healthier hemoglobin levels, and reduce resistance to insulin by imitating the effects of insulin thus improving the sugar intake by our body cells.
Check out Dr Madhu Amrit (Powder) and Aadved Ayush 82 (Capsule), two of our ayurvedic dietary supplement for blood sugar control & diabetes management
Protection from Heart Diseases
One of the most prevalent and rising diseases these days is heart disease and stroke which also happens to be the major cause of death around the world.
Heart disease or cardiovascular ailments are mostly lifestyle related diseases which you may get due to unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and substance abuse like tobacco, alcohol or any other drugs.
The symptoms associated with heart disease include increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, raised lipid levels, obesity and overweight.
Quite a number of modern scientific studies [6] [7] [8] have shown that cinnamon can significantly bring down triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol
Further health benefits of cinnamon also include aid in weight management and with raised blood glucose levels.
However as the risk of heart disease is mostly related to bad or unhealthy lifestyle choices, it is recommended in Ayurveda that you make healthy lifestyle choices like eating a balanced and healthy diet, doing regular exercise or yoga and avoid substance abuse as well to avoid the risk of this deadly health condition.
Aids in Arthritis & Joint Pain
Cinnamon contains a lot of vital nutrients like manganese, calcium, iron, and dietary fibers. This spice is also a rich source of polyphenols, cinnamic acid, cinnamate, essential oils etc.
These components bestow cinnamon with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. [9] Both these therapeutic properties aid in joint pain relief and alleviate symptoms of arthritis. By reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, cinnamon may potentially benefit in joint pain, swelling and redness.
The bio-active components present in cinnamon help reduce cytokines which are responsible for excess inflammation thus offering relief from pain and inflammation.
Vasodilation refers to widening of blood vessels as a result of the relaxation of muscular walls of the blood cells. A person with arthritis can feel very persistent and excruciating pain in the elbow, ankle, legs and hands.
Lack of oxygen causes heightened pain in the joints and may also result in muscular cramps. Cinnamon acts as a natural vasodilator (compounds that aid in dilating blood vessels). Thus it reduces muscle spasms and may significantly alleviate pain in joints.
Health Benefits of Cinnamon in Cold & Flu
Dalchini or cinnamon has tikshna guna (penetrating property) and ushna virya (hot potency) as mentioned in Ayurveda. These properties make cinnamon an effective ayurvedic herb for relief from cold and flu. Cinnamon liquifies the mucus (kapha dosha) and helps expel it from the body.
This herb is also believed to have antimicrobial and anti-viral properties which helps you get relief from influenza, flu, cough and cold. It is recommended in Ayurveda to consume cinnamon in kadha form (decoction) to get relief from symptoms of cold and flu.
The decoction (kadha) can be prepared by soaking cinnamon bark in warm water and adding a few drops of honey and a pinch of mashed ginger. Take it twice or thrice a day depending on severity to get relief from sore throat and congestion due flu, cold and cough.
Helps Treat Candidiasis
Cinnamon has powerful antibacterial and antifungal qualities, making it useful in treating a variety of microbial illnesses such as candida, ringworm, and athlete’s foot.
Cinnamon tea can help enhance general body immunity against illnesses. Applying diluted cinnamon essential oil to the affected region might also help to reduce inflammation and promote wound healing.
Health Benefits of Cinnamon for Oral Care & Health
Cinnamon is often used in oral solutions due to its significant antibacterial effects.
It not only inhibits the growth of dangerous germs in the mouth, but it also promotes the growth of helpful probiotic bacteria, resulting in a cleaner mouth and aiding in the prevention of problems such as bad breath, cavities, and tooth decay.
Try oil pulling with a drop of cinnamon oil in coconut oil or sipping gently sweetened cinnamon tea to improve the health of your teeth and gums.
Other Health Benefits of Cinnamon
May Reverse effects of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson Disease: Reverse Studies have shown that cinnamon may have potential benefits in reversing the effect of neurodegenerative diseases like dementia, Alzheimer and Parkinson disease. [10] [11]
May help protect against cancer: Studies have shown that bio chemicals present in cinnamon may reduce the growth of cancer causing cells by blocking the expression of certain protein. [12]
Final Words
Thanks to the many vital nutrients, bio-chemicals and phytonutrients present in cinnamon, it can be beneficial as a natural home remedy to treat or manage a number of health concerns that you may be facing. It can help you in managing diabetes naturally, alleviate pain and inflammation if you are suffering from arthritis or joint pain, may significantly reduce risks of heart disease and stroke and many assist in managing other symptoms and ailments. However, if you are still in doubt, feel free to consult an ayurvedic practitioner or a physician on how to incorporate cinnanom in your daily life for holistic health and wellness.
You May Also Like to Read:
Ayurveda 101: Health Benefits of Ginger Tea
Ayurveda 101: Health Benefits of Fenugreek Tea
Health Benefits of Himalayan Shilajit: An Ayurvedic Superfood
A digital marketer and content crafter by profession and a keen traveler, amateur photographer, avid reader and ayurveda enthusiast by passion, Nikhil Chandra applies his educational qualification and professional experience to write on a range of topics that includes wander wisdom, ayurvedic health and wellness tips and search marketing.
