#25: The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth

Another day of our education of the 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. Woo Hoo! Some of these you won't be surprised by, some you will. I'll take one out of each food group each day to mix it up a bit.

All information is from the book by jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S. "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth".

Day 25: Cinnamon

* there's a chemical in cinnamon called chalcone polymers that increase glucose metabolism in the cells twentyfold or more (great during a growing epidemic of obesity and diabetes)

* Cimmamon also contains anthocyanins, which improve capillary function

* Cinomin inhibits the formation of ulcers and increases blood flow to the stomach in rats

* can healp combat candida (the overgrowth of yeast in the system that can cause so mamy problems), probably because these compounds have antimicrobial activity that can help stop the growth of bacteria and fungi (including candida)

* Cinnamon contains anti-inflammatory compounds that may be helpful in affecting the pain and stiffness of muscles, joints, and menstrual discomfort

* Cinnamon is really good for digestive function

* Both in test-tube and in animal studies, cinnamon funtions as what's called a carminative, which, should anyone ask you during a game of Trivial Pursuit, means "gas reliever". So if you have abdominal discomfort caused by excess gas, cinnamon would be a great thing to try

* Compounds in cinnamon called catechins help relieve nausea

* Cinnamon is know for booting flagging appetite

* Cinnamon is very digestive friendly

* an active ingredient in cinnamon seems to mimic insulin funtion, increasing glucose uptake by cells and signaling certain kinds of cells to turn glucose into glycogen (the storage form of sugar)

* In another study is showed that Cinnamon reduced not only blood sugar, but also triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL ("bad") cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes.

* According to C. Leigh Broadhurst, Ph. D., one of the best parts of the whole cinnamon story is that you can get the best results with the cheapest stuff. In fact, she told me taht you're better off getting the really cheap stuff from the supermarket instead of any of the esoteric and expensive oil extracts, which may have some components that could be toxic if taken internally. Cinnamon powder has already had mch of the essential oils removed during processing, so it's a nonissue. "Buying cinnamon in bulk is cost-effective and highly recommended."

* According to Broadhurst's excellent book on diabetes, the best way to use cinnamon to help lower blood sugar and improve type 2 diabetes is to put 3 rounded tablespoons of ground cinnamon and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of baking soda (less if sodium is a problem for you) in a 32 ounce (quart) canning jar. Fill the jar with boiling water and let it steep at room temperature till it's cool. Strain or decant the liquid, discard the grounds, put a lid on the jar, and stick it in the fridge. Drink one 8-ounce cup of the tea four times per day. After one to three weeks you can drop down to one or two cups a day. Type 1 diabetics can use it too, but should start with only one or two cups per day and increase by one cup per week, monitoring blood sugar closely

WORTH KNOWING

Just as the manuscript for this book was being submitted, a new animal study was published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition in which dietary cinnamon reduced blood pressure. The researches suggested that cinnamon may have a rold in glucose metabolism and blood pressure regulation; they concluded that adding beneficial substances like cinnamon to the diet may have a positive influence of blood pressure