Cinnamon (Cassia)

Native to Ceylon (Sri Lanka), true cinnamon, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, dates back in Chinese writings to 2800 B.C., and is still known as kwai in the Chinese language today. Its botanical name derives from the Hebraic and Arabic term amomon, meaning fragrant spice plant. Ancient Egyptians used cinnamon in their embalming process. From their word for cannon, Italians called it canella, meaning "little tube," which aptly describes cinnamon sticks.

In the first century A.D., Pliny the Elder wrote of 350 grams of cinnamon as being equal in value to over five kilograms of silver, about fifteen times the value of silver per weight.

Home Remedies

1. Toothache—Are you having toothache? Make a paste of one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and five teaspoons of honey and apply it on the aching tooth. Do this three times a day and keep it for 15 minutes each time you do so. You will be relieved!

2. Reducing Cholesterol—Check cholesterol with cinnamon. Mix up two tablespoons of honey, three teaspoons of cinnamon powder and blend it with 16 ounces of tea. This is sure to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10% within 2 hours.

3. Weight Loss—Early in the morning (in empty stomach), drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup water to reduce your weight.

4. Immunity—Strengthen your immune system with the regular intake of honey and cinnamon powder.
   This protects the body from bacterial and viral attacks.

5. Stomach Ache—Is your tummy troubling you? Take honey with cinnamon powder in equal quantities. It relieves the pain in the stomach.

6. Memory—Scientific studies show that just smelling cinnamon improves our memory and performance of certain tasks.

7. Colds— Cure most chronic cough, cold and clear the sinuses easily. For 3 days take one tablespoon of lukewarm honey with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder. Trust me cinnamon mixture does cure a cold.