12 Unique Health Benefits of Adding Cinnamon to Your Coffee
It is officially feeling like fall, and that means I am starting to turn to all of the yummy, warming spices that are so popular this time of year. Hellooo pumpkin, and cloves, and cinnamon :)
I have been adding cinnamon to my morning coffee for years because I remember hearing it was a healthy thing to do.. but recently, I was a bit curious. Like HOW is cinnamon actually beneficial?? So I did a bit of a deep dive into all things cinnamon to determine if it was really worth it? Here's what I found...
Unique Health Benefits of Cinnamon
Who knew a simple cinnamon stick could have so many positive health benefits??-- Actually, hundreds of ancient civilizations for thousands of years have known this.
1. High Antioxidant Content
There is a lot of hype around antioxidants in the wellness space-- but what even are they?? Antioxidants help protect our cells from damage caused by unstable molecules in our body (known as free radicals) from things like pollution, UV rays, chemicals, and normal body processes. When free radicals accumulate in our body, they negatively impact the body and can cause aging and disease.
This is one reason it is so important to have a nourishing, balanced diet-- because whole foods that are rich in antioxidants help to counter these negative effects. Making a morning cinnamon coffee can be one easy antioxidant-rich addition to your daily routine.
2. Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Cinnamon can help to reduce the load of oxidative stress in your body. When those free radicals wreak havoc on the body, inflammation is a natural response. Inflammation is caused by your body trying to heal something-- your body notices something isn't right and the immune system signals for increased blood flow and immune cells to come to the area. This can cause things like redness, swelling, and occasionally pain. But what happens when inflammation is happening inside our bodies? We often are unaware of the chronic stress and inflammation our bodies are under internally, especially if we are regularly eating inflammatory foods or living a high-stress life.
That is another reason why it is a good idea to have a diet rich in nutrient-dense foods to help combat any oxidative damage. This article shows a dramatic decrease in inflammatory markers in women with rheumatoid arthritis after 8 weeks of cinnamon supplements.
3. Supports Heart Health
When you are lowering inflammation and damage within your body, the downstream effect is other health issues being mitigated. One of the major benefits of cinnamon, is its protective effects on the cardiovascular system. One scientific article states, "There is sufficient evidence that cinnamon can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and might be used to treat cardiovascular ailments as it showed to reduce biomarkers in several cardiovascular and cardiovascular-related comorbidities...". This includes supporting healthy cholesterol levels, preventing heart disease, and maintaining a lower blood pressure.
4. Helps to Regulate Blood Sugar Levels
For many years, outside of diabetes, blood sugar was kind of ignored (myself included). But it is SO IMPORTANT. Your blood sugar impacts far more than your energy levels.
Glucose comes from the food we eat, and it's the main source of energy for our cells. After you eat, your blood sugar rises, and your body releases insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas. Insulin helps move glucose from your blood into your cells for energy.
Insulin resistance happens when your cells don't respond well to insulin. This means glucose stays in your bloodstream instead of getting into your cells, leading to higher blood sugar levels over time. When this happens consistently, it can lead to prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, making it important to manage with healthy eating and exercise.
One study of 80 people with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) found that taking 1.5 grams of cinnamon powder daily for 12 weeks significantly reduced fasting insulin levels and improved insulin sensitivity compared with a placebo. This is huge! Having personally walked through the struggles of PCOS, I know first-hand how overwhelming it all can be. And yet, it is so encouraging to see natural and effective options to support your body.
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5. Enhances Brain Function
Anyone else struggle with brain fog, memory, or having a hard time learning a new concept? (Hi, it's me over here raising my hand while I feel the struggle of mom brain 😅)? This was a benefit that I was unaware of until doing research for this article.
This systematic review of over 40 studies showed that cinnamon "significantly improves" cognitive function, specifically memory and learning.
6. Aids in digestion
Bitter tastes and flavors are so popular around the world and in traditional medicine. That is because the bitter flavor triggers digestive enzymes in your body that help to break down food and support healthy digestion. The coffee taste is exactly that- especially if you drink black coffee. The addition of cinnamon can help support your digestion even further.
Consuming cinnamon can increase the secretion of digestive enzymes to not only help your body digest food, but also to absorb its nutrients. When you are effectively breaking down food, you have less digestive discomfort and symptoms like gas and bloating.
7. May Support Weight Loss
The latest TikTok diet trend is adding it is your coffee in the morning to help "burn fat". But is there actually any science supporting this claim?
A meta-analysis of 21 clinical trials with 1,480 total participants found that cinnamon also reduced body mass index (BMI) by 0.40 kilograms per square meter and body weight by 0.92 kilograms (2.0 pounds). That said, it did not consistently change the participants’ composition of fat or lean mass. Basically that means that sure, they lost a marginal amount of weight but that could have been lean mass (muscle tissue--which we don't want to lose) or fat.
That said, when you are lowering inflammation, improving insulin sensitivity, reducing stress, and digesting food better, your body will not hold onto unnecessary fat. Fat is a protective mechanism for our body-- when we are chronically stressed, either physiologically or psychologically, we hold onto our fat stores.
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8. Promotes Oral Health
This review of cinnamon in dentistry states, "Cinnamon essential oils, cinnamon extracts, and the main components show significant antimicrobial activities against oral pathogens and could be beneficial in caries and periodontal disease prevention, endodontics, and candidiasis treatment."
When I dug in a little deeper I found that there are quite a few natural toothpaste and oral hygiene products that use cinnamon oil for these purposes! I thought that was pretty cool and it was never something I was aware of before. The next time I buy flossers, I'll pick the cinnamon ones 😉
9. Anti-Cancer Properties
Cancer rates are increasing globally at a rapid rate. As a parent, I think even scarier than that, is the rise in early-onset cancers in children and young adults. Our society continues to get sicker and sicker-- but we have so many amazing natural modalities to help keep our bodies healthy.
This article showed that cinnamon extract is toxic to cancer cells in vitro, and that more studies are needed to determine whether it is a supportive complementary therapy. This is encouraging, but I am also encouraged by the other benefits of cinnamon in preventing cancer growth because your body is healthier-- less inflammation, less stress, less damage by free radicals, etc. When our body is healthy, it is not an environment for cancer to grow.
While cinnamon is by no means the magic pill or button to all our health issues, it can be a small role in improving our holistic health and nutrition. And in turn, when our bodies are healthy, we are minimizing long-term disease.
10. Improves Circulation
Circulation is the movement of blood through our vessels and throughout our body. By relaxing our blood vessels, cinnamon helps to make that process more effective. Our blood is what carries nutrients and energy for our body, so by improving our circulation, we can see quicker healing or wounds or injuries and more energy. Circulation is also how our body removes waste-- which prevents things from becoming stagnant (or our body reabsorbing what should have been waste).
11. Reduces Stress
You know when you walk into a bakery or coffee shop and get that warm smell of cinnamon? Did you know that that is actually correlated with reduced levels of stress? You can take advantage of this by diffusing essential oils or making a simmer pot on the stove with some cinnamon sticks.
12. Boosts Immune System
If i feel a sore throat start, I am always so quick to jump on all the immune boosting habits! One of my favorites is a homemade ginger shot with cinnamon powder. Another great option is homemade fire cider!
Cinnamon is beneficial to our immune system because it has antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties naturally! So, for example, if you are fighting a bacterial infection in your throat, drinking cinnamon tea can help your body fight that bacteria. This is the mechanism that antibiotics use, and while they have an appropriate time and place in healthcare, they unfortunately come with a lot of negative side effects. While I am not suggesting that cinnamon is an alternative to antibiotics in severe illness, but I am showing how there are things in nature that can help form a first line of defense in sickness.
FAQ
Okay so now you know about all the potential health benefits, but you still have questions? Here are some of the common ones.. and if you still have more, feel free to shoot me an email at hello@wellnesswithkaelyn.com
If I don’t know the answer, i’ll happily try to find it out together with you or refer you to someone who may!
Is this okay for pregnant women?
As always, nothing on this blog is medical advice. Just sharing content for education purposes and always recommending you to consult with your personal healthcare providers. But as a generalization, coffee and cinnamon are both considered to be safe during pregnancy. (again, consult with your own PCP about what is best for you and your babe :)
Does the type of cinnamon matter?
Until researching for this article, I did not realize that there are different kinds of cinnamon with a different hallmark taste and smell. There are two many varieties:
ceylon cinnamon- known as "true cinnamon," is lighter in color and has a milder, sweeter taste. It contains much less coumarin, making it a better option for regular use. Though it's more expensive, Ceylon is considered the healthier choice if you're using cinnamon frequently.
cassia cinnamon - more common of the two and has a stronger, spicier flavor. It's often found in grocery stores and is darker in color. While it's fine to use in small amounts, cassia cinnamon contains higher levels of a compound called coumarin, which can be harmful to the liver if consumed in large quantities over time.
It is also important, when purchasing any spices, to opt for organic, well-sourced options. This is because some spices have been found to have high levels of lead and other heavy metals. I love purchasing spices in bulk through Thrive Market (they come in plastic bags and I refill my glass jars).
If you have never shopped through Thrive Market you can read my review on it here, or save 40% off your first order through this link.
What if I don't drink coffee?
No worries. Cinnamon is a great addition to plenty of drinks, beyond just coffee. I have talked a lot about high-quality coffee alternatives like MUD/WTR and Pique to name a couple.
And if you aren't into those kinds of morning drinks either, there are plenty of ways you can take advantage of the health benefits of cinnamon. There are cinnamon teas and supplements, or you can add it in when making baked goods, stewed fruits, or other warming recipes.
How much cinnamon do I need to take advantage of the health benefits?
To be honest, I have never measured the amount I put in my coffee- it's really just a shake or two or my ground cinnamon container. While that small sprinkle of cinnamon may not seem like much, that adds up to over a teaspoon of cinnamon in a week, over an extended period of time. Remember, wellness isn't about the quick fads that are going to "fix everything" overnight. It is about the on-going habits you do day after day that work together to build a life of holistic wellness.
Other ways to make your daily coffee healthier?
I talk a lot about coffee around here. My relationship with it over the years has gone from drinking wayy too many cups of coffee to get through the day, to drinking no caffeine at all, to now having a healthy relationship with a daily cup of coffee. I use my morning cup strategically as a vehicle for a lot of nourishing things-- cinnamon, collagen, colostrum, honey-- to help support my holistic health. If you are wanting to try and optimize your coffee and take advantage of other potential health benefits you can check out this article about natural ways to sweeten your coffee, or this one about my favorite mold-free, low-acidity coffee brand.
As always, nothing on this blog is medical advice. Always chat with your personal healthcare provider before starting a new supplement to ensure it is right for you and your health history!