Updated December 04, 2014.
If you think cinnamon is simply something to sprinkle on your holiday cookies or cappuccino, think again. The popular spice, once considered more precious than gold, has medicinal value that is making even pharmaceutical companies take notice.

Cinnamon...

• can have favorable effects on brain function and memory
• soothes the stomach, and may help prevent ulcers
• suppresses the bacteria that causes urinary tract infections and the fungus associated with yeast infections

• reduces cholesterol levels ? in particular, lowering bad cholesterol while leaving good cholesterol the same

Of particular interest is cinnamon?s ability to reduce blood sugar, and increase insulin levels, results which were documented in a respected diabetes journal.

It is cinnamon?s effect on blood sugar that makes it a potential help in the war against obesity, insulin resistance, sometimes known as "prediabetes," and the "Metabolic Syndrome."

Cinnamon can be used in its powdered or stick form, adding it to drinks and foods, or as a supplement.

In Cinnamon: A Special Report, you'll find more detailed information about cinnamon, including specifics on my own experiences using this spice for weight loss purposes.

For More Information

• Cinnamon -- A Special Report
• Diabetes Care Journal Article
• Cinnamon Recipes
• Talk About Cinnamon at the Thyroid Forum