Spice Advice: Cinnamon

Ahh, good ol' cinnamon. So good, it should be a SINNamon. Sorry (not sorry) for being so cheesy, we just get really cinn-amental about this good-for-ya spice. As far as nostalgic spices go, cinnamon is definitely at the top of the list. Its warm, spicy aromatics are a sensory throwback to Sunday morning French Toast and holiday baking w/ Grandma for sure. But, cinnamon can do a lot more than send you down memory lane or pack flavor into everyday dishes. It's also really good for you! Hey, Cinnamon - thanks for all you do!

Cinnamon has been used widely as a medicine and preservative for thousands of years. Made from the inner bark of trees known as Cinnamomum, this warming spice is jam-packed with antioxidants and immune-boosting properties. Studies comparing the antioxidant activity of 26 different spices show cinnamon beating out other A-list “superfoods" like garlic and oregano! More recently, cinnamon has been studied for its possible role in reducing heart disease risk and insulin resistance, Alzheimer’s prevention, fighting diabetes, and regulating blood sugar levels. What we know for sure, is that cinnamon is loaded with healthy properties your body craves like Iron, Potassium, Calcium, and Vitamins C & A! Which is probably why cinnamon, as a “home remedy,” has been used largely to treat problems like heartburn, nausea, and digestion issues for generations.

Back in the day (like way back), cinnamon was viewed as an incredibly rare and valuable spice—regarded as a gift for kings. Nowadays, stocking your shelves with some warm-n-cozy spices (like cinnamon) doesn’t require proof of a royal bloodline. In fact, you can get all your cinnamon dreams fulfilled via Spicewalla, available in powder and stick form! And if you’re looking for new ways to explore the wonders of cinnamon, check out our Chai Masala spice blend! We went ahead and wrote down a fabulous, easy-to-make Chai recipe for you here. You can also check out some Cinnamon influenced Chai goodness over at High Five Coffee—they’re out there serving it hot and fresh daily (psst, make it dirty- add espresso!) Or, if you're up for a baking project, try our delicious Chai Pie Recipe, which also happens to feature this weeks MVP spice, Cinnamon. Honestly, kind of hard to go wrong with a spice this nice. After all, it's a cinnamon world and we're all just rolling in it.