Spirit Winter 2012 Banner Health : Page 6

HE A L T H Y EA T I N G your health with By Bev Bennett JUST A SPOONFUL OF CINNAMON … You don’t need to buy the giant economy size package of cin-namon to improve your health, says Richard A. Anderson, a leading researcher on spices and health and a member of the scientific advisory council for the McCor-mick Science Institute. “We did studies with one, three and six grams [of cinnamon]; a tea-spoon is two and a half grams of cinnamon. It’s a very reasonable amount [to consume],” he says. In fact, going over-board isn’t good for your health, according to Anderson. Cinnamon contains varying amounts of coumarin, a substance that may cause liver damage to a small per-centage of the population 6 when consumed in very large amounts. So make sure to inform your physi-cian before you reach for the cinnamon bottle on a regular basis, says Anderson. (Ceylon cinna-mon from Sri Lanka has less coumarin than Cas-sia cinnamon, according to food scientists.) You don’t have to splurge on the most expensive brand of cinnamon either. “We tested a whole bunch of cinnamon; they all work,” Anderson says. Cinnamon is water-soluble and is effective when mixed in a liquid such as water, tea, coffee or soup, says Anderson, who recommends using cinnamon sticks to stir hot beverages. * SPIRIT OF WOMEN WINTER 2012 www. spi r i tofwomen.com Toasted Cinnamon Walnuts

Spice Up Your Health With Cinnamon

Bev Bennett

JUST A SPOONFUL OF CINNAMON … You don’t need to buy the giant economy size package of cinnamon to improve your health, says Richard A. Anderson, a leading researcher on spices and health and a member of the scientific advisory council for the McCormick Science Institute. “We did studies with one, three and six grams [of cinnamon]; a teaspoon is two and a half grams of cinnamon. It’s a very reasonable amount [to consume],” he says. In fact, going overboard isn’t good for your health, according to Anderson. Cinnamon contains varying amounts of coumarin, a substance that may cause liver damage to a small percentage of the population when consumed in very large amounts. So make sure to inform your physician before you reach for the cinnamon bottle on a regular basis, says Anderson. (Ceylon cinnamon from Sri Lanka has less coumarin than Cassia cinnamon, according to food scientists.) You don’t have to splurge on the most expensive brand of cinnamon either. “We tested a whole bunch of cinnamon; they all work,” Anderson says. Cinnamon is watersoluble and is effective when mixed in a liquid such as water, tea, coffee or soup, says Anderson, who recommends using cinnamon sticks to stir hot beverages. IMAGINE REDUCING YOUR risk of developing type 2 diabetes or Alzheimer’s disease by stirring your tea with a cinnamon stick, or protecting yourself from heart disease by introducing Indian curries to your family menu. When it comes to your health, cinnamon may literally be the spice of life because this sweet, aromatic seasoning also contains powerful diseasefighting substances. These substances may fight oxidative stress your body undergoes that makes you more susceptible to serious disease. “We know that cinnamon is a powerful source of antioxidants in vitro,” says Sheila G. West, associate professor of biobehavioral health and nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Penn. DISEASE DEFENSES Animal and human tests also suggest cinnamon’s antioxidant potential. Cinnamon reduces insulin resistance, elevated glucose levels, inflammation and (blood) lipid levels, according to a recent review of previous studies that was published in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. “What we think happens is that it [cinnamon] improves insulin function” to help protect against type 2 diabetes, says Richard A. Anderson, co-author of the review and lead scientist with the Beltsville Human Nutrition Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, in Beltsville, Md. “Each component of insulin function improves with cinnamon.” The spice may also suggest new treatments to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. In vitro experiments show that cinnamon blocks and reverses the formation of a damaging protein, according to the review. Anti-inflammatory action is another possible advantage: Substances in cinnamon may have beneficial effects on inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis, according to Anderson. HEART HEALTH Eating too many fatty foods can increase your triglyceride levels, which could heighten your risk of heart disease. But stir in spices when you prepare a rich dish, and you may counter the fat effect, according to West’s recent research at Penn State. For her study, six overweight but otherwise healthy men between the ages of 30 and 65 were given high-fat meals on two separate days: The test meal included a total of two tablespoons of spices and herbs mixed into chicken curry, Italian herb bread and a cinnamon biscuit. The control meal was identical, except without the seasonings. After the highly flavored meal, the men’s triglyceride response—indicated by blood tests—was reduced by about 30 percent compared with the no-spice meal. (The McCormick Science Institute and the National Institutes of Health supported the work.) The spices in the meal slowed gastric emptying, according to West. But for optimum health, West recommends that you use cinnamon along with other spices and herbs in combination with a nutritious diet. 5 WAYS to add cinnamon to your diet 1. Use a cinnamon stirring stick for nonfat latte, hot apple cider or tea. 2. Stir a pinch of ground cinnamon into fat-free milk and chocolate pudding mix when you make pudding. 3. Add a cinnamon stick to your favorite beef stew or chili and let it simmer. Remove before serving. The spice rounds out the flavor of hot seasonings. 4. Toss a cinnamon stick into a mixture of cider and chopped up apples when preparing homemade applesauce. 5. Add a generous dash of ground cinnamon to the cooking water when you fix old-fashioned oatmeal. THE recipe This delicious snack provides the double health benefits of cinnamon and walnuts, which may reduce your risk of heart disease if you also eat fewer foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Let the fat-free egg white absorb the cinnamon before you proceed with the recipe. TOASTED CINNAMON WALNUTS 1 tablespoon water 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 egg white ¼ cup granulated sugar 5 tablespoons light brown sugar ¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 1 pound raw walnut halves (about 4 cups) STIR water and cinnamon together in a large bowl. SET aside for 5 minutes. ADD egg white and beat with wire whisk until frothy. WHISK in granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt. WHISK in vanilla. STIR in walnuts with large spoon, lightly coating nuts with cinnamon mixture. LINE a baking sheet with heavyduty aluminum foil. SPRAY with nonstick cooking spray. SPREAD walnuts over foil. BAKE walnuts in preheated 275-degree oven for 45 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes. REMOVE from oven. Let COOL on foil. BREAK up walnut clusters into bite-size or individual pieces. Makes 16 (1/4-cup) servings. Per serving: 215 calories | 18.5 grams total fat | 6.5 grams protein | 11.5 grams carbohydrates | 42 milligrams sodium | 2 grams dietary fiber

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