Cinnamon bark oil is obtained by steaming the bark of the cinnamon tree, or more precisely the Cinnamomum Verum tree. It is a strong, hot oil and should first be used sparingly in diluted form until you are certain your skin, lungs, and digestive tract are not irritated by it. For the health benefits, opt for Ceylon cinnamon oil over Cassia oil, even though the latter may be cheaper and more easily available.
A study published in the April 2013 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry tested cinnamon commercially available in the U.S. and found substantial amounts of coumarin, a naturally occurring organic compound that can cause liver damage if consumed in excess. The study found only trace amounts of coumarin in Ceylon cinnamon. Therefore from a safety point of view, Ceylon cinnamon is better.
The Health Benefits of Cinnamon Oil
Cinnamon Oil Reduces Diabetes Symptoms
When ingested, cinnamon oil has been shown to improve the common symptoms of diabetes. It fights insulin resistance by improving the body’s response to insulin, it lowers elevated blood glucose levels, it lowers inflammation, and it increases antioxidant activity.
The effects are not large, but it could be useful to use as an intervention to prevent diabetes in combination with a healthy diet and exercise program. It could be especially useful to people who used to eat unhealthy diets and who are now abandoning their old lifestyles for healthier ones. Since diabetes is one of the best predictors of obesity and even heart disease, the importance of this benefit cannot be over-stated.
Cinnamon Oil May Help Prevent Cardiovascular Disease
According to a study published in the Journal of Diabetes Technology Society 2010, cinnamon oil could reduce harmful triglycerides in the blood by 30% and LDL or bad cholesterol by 27%. The build-up of fatty triglycerides and cholesterol in the blood and arteries is considered to be one of the causes of cardiovascular disease.
Cinnamon Oil’s Anti-Bacterial Properties
The antibacterial properties of cinnamon oil can be beneficial in several ways. Researchers have found that it can remove some strains of E.coli, Salmonella, and other bacteria, and this study was published in the Journal of Food Protection 2002.
These bacteria are found both in the intestines and sometimes on fresh vegetable leaves. The oil can be swallowed for use against intestinal bacteria or used as part of your vegetable washing routine. Just rinse the vegetables afterwards if you don’t want food to taste like cinnamon.
A study published in the BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine Journal 2006, found that cinnamon oil was one of the most effective natural oils at removing different types of bacteria.
Added to your air freshener; it may just remove airborne bacteria, especially in your car during the rainy season or in the bathroom which is permanently damp and vulnerable to mold.
If you wear shoes all day or use shared showers or change rooms, wash your feet in it every night to prevent bacterial and fungal infections. In fact, most infections of open wounds are also caused by bacteria, which makes it a good option for wound treatment too.
Cinnamon Oil Improves symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease
Several researchers have concluded that cinnamon oil may have potential for preventing Alzheimer’s disease and for improving the symptoms once they are present.
One study, published in The Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease 2009, attributed this effect to the oil’s ability to inhibit the build-up of amyloid-beta in animals’ brains, which is one of the causes of the disease.
Other researchers found that oral bacteria contributed to dementia in the elderly, which would imply that cinnamon oil’s antibacterial properties also play a role in keeping the worst symptoms at bay by fighting those bacteria.
Since the oil tastes good and lacks side effects, you have nothing to lose if you take some multiple times a week to prevent dementia from taking hold.
Parkinson’s and other neurological diseases also involve a build-up of amyloid-beta in the brain, so with further research, cinnamon oil may become an intervention against many such disorders.
Cinnamon Oil’s Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Most medical scientists now agree that chronic low-level inflammation is a contributing factor in many of the most common 21st century diseases in the industrialized world, including cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer’s Disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and several auto-immune disorders.
In a review of the scientific literature, one author found that most studies had concluded that cinnamon oil had anti-inflammatory properties.This makes it a good oil to apply to wounds and insect bites and to ingest as a preventative measure against the inflammatory diseases listed above.
There are other options to combat inflammation:
- You can consume my ultimate anti inflammatory smoothie.
- Prepare super anti inflammatory dressings.
- Consume certain foods that are known to reduce inflammation.
- Drink a powerful anti inflammatory tea.
Cinnamon Oil as Skin Cancer Treatment Supplement
A group of Turkish researchers discovered in 2010 that cinnamon oil could be beneficial as a treatment for skin cancer tumors.
Since the research has not been definitively replicated, it is advisable not to use it as your first line of treatment, but in combination with a physician prescribed cancer regime.
Cinnamon Oil as Antioxidant
To repair or prevent the damage that interaction with oxygen can do to cells in the body, cinnamon oil has been found to be a powerful antioxidant.
Since cells outside and inside the body can be damaged, the oil can be either ingested or applied to the skin. Oxidative stress is believed to be responsible for most of the common effects of aging, as the cells that are robbed of their electrons by free radicals often simply die.
This may even be why cinnamon oil is such a good treatment for wounds and insect bites, and why you may want to try it as a soothing oil after a sunburn. It limits cell damage, which is present in all these cases.
Cinnamon Oil as a Relaxant and Mood Lifter
Where mint has a cooling effect, cinnamon oil has a warming effect when applied to the skin. Many people report applying it to their feet under socks when they go to bed.
Cinnamon Oil as Mosquito Repellent
While it is not the best natural oil to repel adult mosquitoes and kill their larva, cinnamon oil has been proved to be somewhat effective to keep those pests away.
Unfortunately, it lasts for only two hours when applied to the surface of your skin, but you can try to leave some next to your bed to see if it works also.
How to Make Your Own DIY Cinnamon Oil
If you want to make your own cinnamon oil, use two cups of organic extra virgin olive oil and half a cup of ground organic cinnamon. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a saucepan. Then add the cinnamon and stir constantly to combine them.
Remove it from the heat after about four minutes, strain through a fine strainer or coffee filter and store in a dark cool place for at least a month.
If you have a lot more time, place as many cinnamon sticks as you can comfortably fit inside a lidded glass container and cover them completely with olive oil.
Leave it in a warm place for three weeks, during which you shake it every day to help release the cinnamon oil from the sticks. Once your three weeks are up, strain the oil through a fine strainer into a different container and throw away the sticks.
Cinnamon Bark oil or Powder: Which is Best?
Since both substances are derived from the same tree’s bark, they have similar health benefits. The best suggestion is to use the powder inside and the oil outside the body, as the oil is much stronger and may irritate the digestive tract if used in inappropriate amounts.
Having said that, the oil can be ingested and has been declared safe for this purpose by the American Food and Drug Administration. If you want to ingest it, however, first add this in tiny amount to your tea or smoothie and increase the amount gradually while ensuring you don’t consume too much.
Once you have worked out the perfect amount to ingest at a time, the oil can replace the powder completely if you wish.
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