When you drink the delicious Chai Tea, you are incorporating into your daily routine one of the ancient customs of India that have been maintained to this day. But you probably don’t know that the benefits of cinnamon contained in this exquisite tea surpass many of the nutritional supplements currently on the market.
With Chai tea you can taste the same recipe created and maintained by the Hindu culture for several millennia. The best quality of the ingredients ensures that you will be able to enjoy not only its complex flavor but also that you will take advantage of the healthy effects of each component. In another article we tell you about the surprising effects of one of them: cardamom.
Cinnamon is the ingredient that gives chai tea the characteristic aroma that we all know. It is a spice closely linked to gastronomy, in cakes, desserts and in the classic Indian curry.
Cinnamon can be purchased as a stick, which is the bark of the “cinnamon tree” grown in Sri Lanka, making it an expensive spice.
Although its aroma reminds us of childhood desserts such as cinnamon cream or apple and pear tarts, in chai tea its function does not end when it reaches our nose: it has many benefits that will give you a new look at this exquisite tea. .
Sweetea Chai Tea: learn about the benefits of cinnamon
1- It is loaded with antioxidants
Antioxidants protect your body from oxidative damage caused by free radicals, which are a natural product of metabolism.
Cinnamon contains a large amount of antioxidants , including polyphenols. In a study comparing the antioxidant activity of 26 spices, cinnamon ended up as the clear winner , even beating out so-called “superfoods” like garlic and oregano.
In fact, the antioxidant effect is so marked that cinnamon has been used in cooking and in pharmaceuticals as a preservative for many years.
If to the benefit of cinnamon you add the antioxidant effect of black tea , which is the basis of Chai Tea, you will see that very few foods will offer you such power to keep your cells, tissues and organs healthy and fulfilling their function .
2- Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties
Inflammation is an important process in our body. Its function is to attract white blood cells to the affected or infected area so that they can repair the tissues.
But when the inflammation is chronic and attacks the tissues themselves, as in osteoarthritis and arthritis, it becomes a problem. When consulting the doctor, he will surely prescribe anti-inflammatories.
In these chronic inflammatory (and very painful) processes, cinnamon is a very good natural option. Studies show that the cinnamic aldehyde it contains (and which gives it its characteristic aroma) is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Its action is due to the decrease in the production of prostaglandins, a hormone that causes inflammation.
This is the same mechanism that ibuprofen uses as a pain reliever, so cinnamon has great potential in the pharmaceutical industry to relieve pain associated with inflammation.
3- It can reduce the risk of heart disease
Cinnamon has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, the most common cause of premature death in the world.
In people with type 2 diabetes , 1 gram or about half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to have beneficial effects on blood markers.
It lowers levels of total cholesterol, “bad” LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, while “good” HDL cholesterol remains stable.
More recently, larger-scale research concluded that a cinnamon dose of just 120mg per day can have these effects. In this study, cinnamon also increased “good” HDL cholesterol levels, which has a major impact on reducing heart risk.
In animal studies, cinnamon has been shown to lower blood pressure. When combined, all of these factors can drastically reduce your risk of heart disease or atherosclerosis.
4- Cinnamon increases insulin sensitivity
Insulin is a key hormone in regulating metabolism and the use of energy from food.
It is also essential for transporting sugar from the blood into the cells to be used as a source of energy.
The problem is that many people are resistant to the effects of insulin.
This is known as insulin resistance, a hallmark of serious conditions like metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
The good news is that cinnamon can drastically reduce insulin resistance by helping this important hormone do its job.
By increasing insulin sensitivity, cinnamon can lower blood sugar levels, as discussed in the next point.
5- Reduces blood sugar levels with great anti-diabetic power
It has long been well known that cinnamon helps lower blood glucose levels.
It is currently recognized that it does so by several mechanisms:
A- Because it decreases the amount of glucose that enters the bloodstream after a meal. It does this by interfering with numerous digestive enzymes , which slows down the breakdown of carbohydrates in the digestive tract .
B- A compound in cinnamon can act on cells by mimicking insulin , improving the uptake of glucose by cells.
C- Increasing insulin sensitivity as mentioned in the previous section.
Numerous human studies have confirmed the anti-diabetic effects of cinnamon, showing that it can lower fasting blood sugar levels by 10–29%.
The effective dose is 1 to 2 teaspoons of cinnamon per day . With a Chai Tea you make sure you have part of that dose covered.
6- It can prevent neurodegenerative diseases
Alzheimer ‘s disease and Parkinson’s disease are two of the most common types of neurodegenerative diseases, where the structure or function of neurons is lost.
Two compounds found in cinnamon appear to inhibit the buildup of a protein called tau in the brain, which is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.
In a study in mice with Parkinson’s disease, cinnamon helped protect neurons, normalized levels of neurotransmitters, and improved motor function .
These effects need to be further studied in humans.
7- Helps fight fungal and bacterial infections
The component that gives cinnamon its characteristic aroma (cinnamaldehyde) inhibits the growth of certain bacteria and fungi, especially those that cause respiratory and intestinal infections.
This antimicrobial action makes cinnamon very effective in preventing dental cavities and bad breath.
8- More benefits of cinnamon: surprising use in marketing
Scents not only fulfill the function of transmitting a good smell, they are also capable of affecting feelings and bringing memories to mind. This makes them powerful tools for business.
Among the effects of the aroma of cinnamon, its ability to stimulate the mind stands out. When its aroma is perceived, a change in mood occurs and more positive thoughts are generated. This is perfect for businesses, since customers will be more willing to buy or contract the services offered. So, if you want to increase sales in your store, you can try flooding the store with the scent of cinnamon: it seems that customers will be very willing to spend more money on it.
Cinnamon has always been used as a sexual stimulant . It is considered one of the most effective aphrodisiacs known. Many men and women have used them to arouse the desire of others and seduce them. These two effects are widely used in alternative medicine such as aromatherapy.