Does cinnamon raise or lower blood pressure?

Cinnamon has been known for over 5,000 years. Even the ancient Egyptians and Romans used this spice not only in cooking, but also as a remedy. It came to Europe in the 16th century, when the Portuguese conquerors, seeing thickets of cinnamon trees on the shores of Sri Lanka and learning the properties of unusual plants, began to trade this product at home.

Today, mainly the bark of this tree is used in cooking. It has become an indispensable product in the preparation of dishes from meat, rice, sweets, drinks. But few people realize how great the benefits of this spice are. For example, it perfectly helps to deal with high blood pressure. And regular consumption of food with this substance is a good prevention of hypertension.

Useful properties of spices

Due to the significant content of nutrients, cinnamon has a positive effect on the body:

• improves mood;
• increases muscle tone;
• reduces appetite;
• regulates fat metabolism;
• normalizes blood sugar levels;
• improves blood circulation;
• lowers blood pressure;
• promotes the removal of sand from the kidneys;

• improves mental activity;
• normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• reduces the intensity of pain manifestations;
• prevents the formation of blood clots;
• is an excellent antiviral, antiseptic, expectorant.

Cinnamon helps to cope with respiratory diseases, bronchitis, various types of infections and fungi. Everyone's favorite spice aroma is achieved precisely through essential oils. The benefit of these compounds lies in the fact that they contain unique substances that not only create a smell, but also have a healing effect.

How spice affects blood pressure

In folk medicine, there are also recipes to help fight high blood pressure in hypertension with cinnamon.

1. You will need to mix ground spice with liquid honey in a ratio of 1: 2. This mixture should be consumed every morning with warm tea for ten days.
2. It is necessary to combine 200 grams of low-fat kefir and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon. To feel the benefits of such a drink, every day in the morning and evening you need to drink one glass of this mixture. Treatment is carried out for ten days.
3. Every day for breakfast it is recommended to eat a piece of black bread, spread with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon. Such food not only lowers cholesterol levels, but also improves the functioning of the respiratory system and heart. Older people should especially start the day with such a meal. This has a very positive effect on the general condition of their body.

But the paradox of this spice is that it can also increase blood pressure. It is especially worth paying attention to the benefits of this product for hypotensive patients.

Very often, people suffering from such an ailment as low blood pressure feel very ill in the morning. In this case, you need to make coffee and add half a teaspoon of chopped bark to the cup. Such a drink tones well and quickly increases the low readings of the tonometer.

Most often, high blood pressure occurs against the background of atherosclerotic vascular lesions. Cinnamon is a very good healer in this case. It brings great benefits by lowering the level of cholesterol deposits on the walls of the arteries. And cinnamic acid aldehyde prevents the formation of blood clots, which is a good prevention of heart attacks and strokes.

When not to use the spice

Although this spice is very useful, it still has some contraindications that can cause harm.

• Such a product should not be consumed in large quantities by those who have poor blood clotting. In case of severe injury and large bleeding, this spice is harmful by lowering the ability of the blood to clot.
• Cinnamon is not recommended for pregnant women. This is due to the fact that it contains an element that provokes uterine contractions, which can harm a woman in position, provoking a miscarriage or untimely birth.
• Also, doctors do not recommend getting involved in spice for people with increased excitability and hyperactivity.
• For those who have stomach ulcers and intestinal hypersensitivity, cinnamon should be eaten in a limited way, as it can be harmful by irritating the mucous membrane.

• It is unacceptable to use this product in large quantities for those who have problems with the liver or kidneys. This tree bark contains a dangerous substance - coumarin. Although its percentage is small, but with a significant intake of food, it can harm the affected organs.
• Cinnamon should be used to a limited extent during drug treatment. Since this spice has antibiotic properties, interacting with the medicine, it can change its effect and cause harm.
• It is not recommended to give cinnamon to children under three years of age.

How to choose a spice for treatment

In stores, this spice is sold in two versions: in the form of a powder and a dry bark rolled into a tube. From the point of view of fakes, it is better to choose cinnamon sticks, since it is easier to fake it in crushed form. In addition, the tubules retain more aromatic, taste and useful qualities.

Cheaper - Chinese. It does not have a pronounced aroma, but it has a very sharp, burning taste. It can be seen under the names "Indian", "fragrant", "simple", "cassia". There is also Malabar cinnamon and cinnamon.

In the first case, the taste is sharp, slightly bitter, in the second - spicy and spicy. To determine how fresh this product is, you should pay attention to its aroma. The sweeter and stronger the smell, the fresher the spice, which means it will bring more benefits.

Nevertheless, official medicine does not recommend frequent and long-term treatment with cinnamon of vascular heart diseases. This is argued by the fact that the spice increases the heart rate and tends to increase blood pressure on the walls of blood vessels.

Therefore, if you still decide to use the bark for medicinal purposes, so as not to harm yourself, it is better to consult a doctor first.