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Cinnamon, Dachini in Hindi and Pattai in Tamil
Soothes indigestion, controls blood sugar in diabetics, prevents stomach ulcers, wards off urinary tract infections, fights tooth decay and gum disease, prevents vaginal yeast infections.
Apple Pie is always baked with cinnamon powder, while stewed apricots could always do with a stick of cinnamon. Boil a stick of cinnamon in water to remove the cooking odour in your kitchen.
No spice powder in India is complete without a stick of cinnamon. But cinnamon is more than just a kitchen spice. It has been used medicinally for thousands of years. Modern science has confirmed its value for preventing infection and indigestion, and has also discovered a couple of new therapeutic uses for the herb.
Cinnamon stick is a piece of the bark of an Asian tree. Ancient Chinese herbals have made a mention of cinnamon as early as 2700 B.C. Chinese herbalists still recommend it for fever, diarrhoea and menstrual problems. Cinnamon was an ingredient in ancient Egyptian embalming mixtures. In the Bible, Moses used it in holy anointing oil.
Benefits are varied and many
Several toothpastes are flavoured with cinnamon as the antiseptic properties of cinnamon helps kill the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease. Like many culinary spices, cinnamon helps soothe an upset stomach. But a Japanese animal study revealed that it may also help prevent ulcers. Cinnamon is also used to cure a toothache. Recent studies reveal that cinnamon also reduces diabetes. Cinnamon can serve as a good appetiser too.
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