Herbs & Herbal Remedies @ Green Papaya

In powdered form, culinary amounts of cinnamon are nontoxic, though allergic reactions are possible.

Cinnamon oil is a different story. On the skin, it may cause redness and burning. Used internally, it can cause nausea, vomiting, and possibly even kidney damage. Don’t ingest cinnamon oil.

Cinnamon is on the Food and Drug Administration’s list of herbs generally regarded as safe. For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults, cinnamon is considered safe in amounts typically recommended.

Cinnamon should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If cinnamon causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset or diarrhea, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience any unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.

Exotic Tree

Cinnamon is not grown in the United States. Most comes from Asia and the West Indies. The trees reach a height of 30 feet. Collectors strip the aromatic bark from young branches no more than three years old.

Of course, cinnamon delights the taste buds. But it benefits other parts of the body as well.

Infection Prevention - A sound scientific reason for “flavoring” toothpastes and mouthwash with cinnamon does exist. Like many culinary spices, it’s a powerful antiseptic. It kills many decay- and disease-causing bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Try sprinkling some on minor cuts and scrapes after they’ve been thoroughly washed.

Perhaps toilet paper should be impregnated with cinnamon. One German study showed it “suppresses completely” the cause of most urinary tract infections (Escherichia coli bacteria) and the fungus (Candida albicans) responsible for vaginal yeast infections.

Pain Relief - There’s another reason to dust a bit of cinnamon on cuts and scrapes-it contains the natural anesthetic oil eugenol, which might help relieve the pain of household mishaps.

Digestive Aid - Cinnamon does more than add flavor to cakes, cookies, ice creams, and other high-fat desserts. Once you’ve consumed these delicacies, the herb helps break down fats in your digestive system, possibly by boosting the activity of some digestive enzymes.

Women’s Health - Despite some modern herbalists’ contention that cinnamon helps calm the uterus, the weight of historical evidence suggests the opposite. Pregnant women should limit their use to culinary amounts. Other women might try it to bring on menstruation or after delivery.

Intriguing Possibility - Japanese researchers report that cinnamon helps reduce blood pressure. If yours is high, it won’t hurt to use more.

Rx for Cinnamon

For a warm, sweet, spicy infusion, use ½ to ¾ teaspoon of powdered herb per cup of boiling water. Drink up to 3 cups a day.

Cinnamon infusions should not be given to children under age 2. For older children and people over 65, start with low-strength preparations and increase strength if necessary.

To treat minor cuts and scrapes, wash the affected area thoroughly, then sprinkle on a little powdered cinnamon.

Spice with a Punch

Family: Lauraceae; (includes Bay, Avocado, Nutmeg, Sassafras

Parts used: Dried inner bark

Genus and species: Cinnamomum Zeylanicum, C. Cassia, C. Saigonicum

Also known as: Cassia, Ceylon Cinnamon, Saigon Cinnamon

We sprinkle it on toast, add it to cookie batter, stir it into hot apple cider, and find it in toothpastes and candies. But cinnamon is more than a sweet treat.

It’s one of the world’s oldest healers. And modern science has confirmed its value for prevention of infection and indigestion.

Asian Prize

Cinnamon grew originally in southern Asia. Ancient Chinese herbals mention it as early as 2700 BC as a treatment for fever, diarrhea, and menstrual problems. India’s ancient Ayurvedic healers used it similarly.

When ancient travelers introduced the aromatic herb to the Egyptians, they added it enthusiastically to their embalming mixtures. Egyptian demand for cinnamon (and other Asian spices) played a major role in ancient trade.

The Biblical Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans adopted cinnamon as a spice, perfume, and treatment for indigestion.

After the fall of Rome, trade with Asia came to a virtual halt, but somehow cinnamon still made it to Europe. The l zth-century German abbess/herbalist Hildegard of Bingen recommended it as “the universal spice for sinuses,” and to treat colds, flu, cancer, and “inner decay and slime.”

Back to the Kitchen

By the 17th century, Europeans considered cinnamon primarilya kitchen spice. In healing, they used it only to mask the bitterness of other healing herbs.

But as time passed, cinnamon slowly regained its former reputation as a healer. America’s 19th-century Eclectic physicians prescribed it for stomach cramps, flatulence, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, infant colic, and especially for uterine problems: “[Cinnamon’s] most direct action is on the uterine muscle fibers, causing contraction and arresting bleeding. For postpartum and other uterine hemorrhages, it is one of the most prompt and efficient remedies.”

Modern herbalists recommend cinnamon to relieve nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and indigestion, and as a flavoring agent for bitter-tasting healing-herb preparations. They can’t quite agree about how it affects the uterus. Some say it stimulates uterine contractions. Others say it calms the uterus.