Cinnamon, spice and everything nice - November 2011

Using cinnamon to kill bacteria, balance blood sugar and create a bio-dynamic garden

By Alexis Costello, Kelowna, BC

           Officially one of the most popular spices all over the world, most of us are familiar with the comforting smell of cinnamon (cinnamomum verum) and like it.  Especially when it’s coming from an oven containing cookies.  But cinnamon can have a powerful effect on health as well. 

            Large cinnamon trees grow on the property of Villa Vanilla Rainforest Spices, where the trees are cut down in such a way that a new one will grow from the stump.  The logs are stacked like firewood in a covered area.  Using a machete, the farm workers and volunteers chop off the tough outer bark, which is then thrown into the compost pile to help make the antibacterial compost tea that will keep the bugs off of other plants.  The soft inner bark is then peeled into thin strips which go onto large cookie sheets to dry in the sun or over the wood-fired ovens (in the wet season).  The leaves of the tree are really tasty too and can be used to make tea and tonics. 

            Cinnamon has received plenty of attention in recent years as a way of controlling diabetes and stabilizing blood sugar.  For those who pay attention to the glycemic index of their food, adding cinnamon lessens the total glycemic load of the meal.  It can also calm an upset stomach and lower blood pressure.  It is antibacterial and will strengthen the immune system.  Not bad for something that actually tastes good!

            On a more serious note, two compounds found in cinnamon; camphornin and cinnamonin, have been be shown to stop the growth of liver cancer and melanoma cells in lab tests.  It also stimulates production of an enzyme in the body that fights cancer, while deactivating plasmin, which allows cancer to spread to other cells.  More research is probably needed in this area, but the results so far show a lot of potential.

            After this tour, the kids were very taken with the idea that Costa Rica has “real” cinnamon and that the kind we have in Canada is “fake”.  This idea comes from the species of tree.  The one grown in CR is Ceylon cinnamon – softer, flaky and with stronger medicinal properties.  The one we see commonly in Canada is a different species that is hardier and ships better, but is less flavourful, leading the owner of the farm to declare his variety the ‘real stuff’. 

The same farm boasts plenty of other spice trees, one of the most interesting being allspice (pimenta dioica).  Apparently, this plant gets its name from the fact that it smells like different spices depending on what it is paired with and so could be used as a stand in for cinnamon, cloves, etc. if needed.  The small berries are the part most commonly used in cooking.  These grow at the tops of the branches and turn dark brown when they are ripe.  The flowers are small, white and very fragrant and the leaves have a similar flavour to the berries if you crush them and smell or taste. 

            Medicinally, these berries or leaves can be used to make a tea for improving digestion, controlling blood sugar and reducing cholesterol.  Isn’t it wonderful when things that taste good are good for you?

Alexis's Bio: Alexis Costello is a natural health practitioner specializing in applied kinesiology, Bach Flower Remedies, massage and herbology. Her 'passion for plants' brought her and her family to Costa Rica for six months of adventure studying herbs in the rainforest; learning everything she could from 'curanderos', medicine men, shaman and the local folk medicine. Now that she has returned to Kelowna, Alexis is working on starting up a fun integrated learning/healing centre called Happily Holistic. In the new column "Wandering Herbalist" (Alexis formerly wrote the column on nutrition for OK in Health), Alexis shares some of her experieinces and the healing plants she enjoyed most. www.happilyholistic.ca - Alexis Costello Website - Email