Cinnamon’s Healing Gout Benefits

Did you know cinnamon can have healing benefits for gout? Yes, this spice which can be found in almost any home pantry might just help with your gout woes. But before we delve into that, let’s first take a look at where cinnamon came from.

History of Cinnamon

Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices known to man. So old that it’s even written as one of the most important herbs in a Chinese botanical medicine book written in 2700 BC. In traditional Chinese medicine, cinnamon is used for its warm qualities. It’s been said to help relieve flu and cold. They simply mix it with tea and some fresh ginger for that powerful boost. Cinnamon is also mentioned in the bible numerous times and in ancient Egypt, it would be used as both medicine and flavor to beverages.

Currently, there are over 100 varieties of cinnamon. The scientific name for this spice if Cinnamonum verum. This spice comes from the inner bark of a cinnamon tree. The strips are dried until they curl into quills. You can buy cinnamon like this or get it in powder form.

Cinnamon has a sweet and woody flavor. Other varieties have a strong, rich, slightly bitter taste. It might also have a slight citrusy note. Remember, there are a lot of varieties of cinnamon so you’re not always going to get the same taste depending on where you source your cinnamon.

It can come from a wide variety of places such as Sri Lanka, Indonesia, China, and India. The cinnamon you will find at grocery stores are Ceylon and cassia. It can be difficult to tell the other apart but once you get used to the taste of each one, you’ll be able to recognize which is which.

Cinnamon’s Benefits for Gout

Cinnamon is rich in manganese, fiber, and calcium. These qualities are what make it highly beneficial for gout. In one study involving mice, they found that those who were fed Chinese cinnamon oil had greatly reduced uric acid levels. This means that the oil of Chinese cinnamon can help prevent future gout attacks from happening.

Another study, this time involving rats, they observed that when the subjects were given cinnamon extract after being fed a high fructose diet, they were able to handle glucose well. This is because cinnamon slows down the rate at which the stomach empties itself after meals. As a result, blood sugar does not spike after eating. This is often a problem that diabetics have after they have a not-so healthy meal.

Cinnamon can also help with blood pressure. Studies have shown that even a small amount of cinnamon everyday can help reduce your blood pressure. Both diabetes and blood pressure are comorbidities that gout patients have so it’s worth adding cinnamon to your daily meals.

In a research conducted in China, they found that out of 122 different herbs and spices, cinnamon was the most effective at lowering uric acid levels. It has a powerful effect on inhibiting a particular enzyme that’s responsible for uric acid accumulation. So if you feel pain in your joints after eating something that’s high in purine, try remedying it with cinnamon. It might just help relieve the pain.

Because cinnamon has strong anti-inflammatory properties, this makes it a perfect remedy for the gout sufferer. A research group in South Korea explored cinnamon’s effect on inflammatory disorders. What they found was that cinnamon extract is able to reduce inflammation.

Other Benefits of Cinnamon

1. High Fiber

A diet that is high in fiber can help reduce gout symptoms. Because cinnamon is high fiber, it has the ability to absorb excess uric acid, thus reducing your chances of experiencing a gout attack. Even a small amount of cinnamon everyday can help.

2. Low Sugar

Aside from helping you manage your glucose, cinnamon, despite its sweet taste, has low sugar to it which means it does not contribute to your blood sugar. You can consume it without any worries that your blood sugar might spike.

3. Powerful Antioxidant

Cinnamon is a spice with very powerful antioxidants. This is because cinnamon has vitamin C in it. As a gout patient, you know very well how helpful vitamin C is for reducing those uric acid levels. So, to prevent gout from getting worse, you can very well rely on cinnamon to help you with that.

4. High Magnesium

Magnesium is very important for the growth and development of bones. With gout that gets worse over time, there’s a chance for bone to erode. You can prevent this simply by taking cinnamon regularly.

Ways to Incorporate Cinnamon Into Your Diet

Cinnamon is a delicious spice, so you won’t have a hard time adding this ingredient to your cooking. If you choose to get the cinnamon sticks, make sure they are stored properly in an airtight container. It should last you about a year or even more if you store the sticks in the fridge.

If you opt to get cinnamon powder, check it every now and then making sure it’s still fresh. If it doesn’t smell sweet, it’s not good anymore and you should replace it. Cinnamon powder stays fresh for up to 6 months.

Now let’s take a look at the ways you can add cinnamon to your diet.

1. Sprinkle on your coffee

Cinnamon tastes wonderful with coffee. Simply sprinkle a bit of cinnamon powder on top and enjoy! If you’re trying to quit sugar in your coffee, cinnamon is a great ingredient to boost its flavor since it has a slightly sweet taste.

2. Add to hot cocoa

Make your simple hot cocoa taste a lot better by adding cinnamon to it. It seems like a slight change but doing so will instantly make your hot drink more flavorful.

3. Add to your tea

You can make a tea out of cinnamon and honey mixed together in hot water. But you can also add it to your existing

4. Sprinkle on desserts

If you’re having the occasional dessert, you can make it count by adding a sprinkle of cinnamon powder to it.

5. Add to your shakes

Whether it’s a green smoothie shake or a protein shake, you can add cinnamon. Because the spice has a subtle taste, you don’t have to worry about it ruining the flavor of your drink.

6. Add to fruit juices

When making a juice of any fruit, add cinnamon to give it a unique taste.

7. Mix in with savory dishes

If you’re making a savory dish and you want to add a hint of sweetness to it, cinnamon is the perfect spice. Use ground cinnamon and make it into a paste so it mixes well with the dish.

8. Bake with cinnamon

If you are baking, you can add cinnamon to make a plain tasting bread more flavorful.

9. Season on granola

Granola is a great snack for gout sufferers because it’s packed with healthy ingredients. But a way to make it even healthier is by adding cinnamon.

10. Sprinkle on yogurt

Having yogurt but too lazy to slice fruits? No problem! Just sprinkle a dash of cinnamon to instantly upgrade the taste of your plain yogurt.

11. Make bacon candy

On the rare occasion that you have processed meat such as bacon, you can make it less sinful by sprinkling cinnamon on top of it. Trust us, you’ll love it!

12. Add to pancakes and waffles

If you’re treating yourself to pancakes or waffles for breakfast, you can lessen the guilt by topping it with cinnamon.

13. Sprinkle on fruits and vegetables

Bored of eating just the fruit? Spice it up with cinnamon! This goes really well with fruits like apple, grapefruit, raspberries, and strawberries. As for vegetables, cinnamon goes perfectly with butternut squash, zucchini, sweet potato, pumpkin, and edamame.

As you can see, cinnamon is a very versatile spice so you shouldn’t have a hard time adding it to your daily meals.

Other Uses for Cinnamon

There is also cinnamon essential oil which can be applied topically, added to air fresheners, or as aromatherapy. Just be sure you use a small amount or dilute it in a carrier oil if you use it on your skin.

Cinnamon Risks

While cinnamon is a great spice, there are some downsides to it. First, it is not approved by the FDA as a treatment against any disease. So you shouldn’t be using it as the only treatment for gout. If you are currently taking medication for gout, stick to it since cinnamon is not enough to replace them.

We’ve talked about the many ways you can consume cinnamon, but you don’t want to go beyond the recommended dosage. The limit is 4 to 6 grams per day. This is because cinnamon contains high levels of coumarin which has been linked to kidney and liver problems.

If you have an existing liver condition, you might want to avoid cinnamon altogether. If you are pregnant or lactating, avoid taking cinnamon too as it can have bad side effects on the fetus.

Have you ever used cinnamon to relieve your gout symptoms? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Visit our website at www.goutandyou.com

Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional for any health concerns.