Cinnamon, Cinnamomum Verum

Cinnamon

Cinnamomum verum & Cinnamomum cassia

warm, moist, tonifying

Taste: pungent, sweet, astringent

Family: Lauraceae

Medicinal parts: inner bark

Actions: astringent, demulcent, relaxant, diffusive, antimicrobial, hypoglycemic, mild circulatory stimulant, anti-inflammatory, 

Affinities: digestive and circulatory systems

Notable constituents:

volatiles to 4% (cinnamaldehyde 65–75%, eugenol 4–10%), aromatic resins, coumarins (verum <.02%, cassia .4 - .8%), mucilage (2 –3.7%), condensed tannins

Medicinal applications

• Digestive

  • Cinnamon is a well-researched digestive aid. Cinnamon is indicated for someone who has a cold and sluggish digestion as it is warming and demulcent. Cinnamon is both relaxing and tonifying, calming the muscular tissues while acting as an astringent for the mucus membranes and lining of the GI tract. Cinnamons' warming and diffusive properties make it helpful for cramping and bloating from overeating. It is anti-inflammatory, calming down an irritated stomach. Cinnamon’s antimicrobial volatiles can also discourage an overgrowth of harmful gut bacteria. Astringent cinnamon can be worked with for diarrhea, consider adding cinnamon capsules into a travel first aid kit.

• Endocrine system

  • Cinnamon is a hypoglycemic herb, improving insulin sensitivity. When working with people who are diabetic, it's important to take blood sugar 3-5 times a day and talk to their doctor about reducing the amount of medication they are taking. Cinnamon can be helpful for working with folks who can’t afford diabetic medication as well, consider working with cinnamon when doing outreach for those facing homelessness or in poverty. Cinnamon can also help reduce sugar cravings without reducing appetite, this might be helpful for people wanting to stick to a more balanced diet or reduce sugar overall. 

  • Cinnamon is a mild emmenagogue, stimulating the uterus. Consider working with cinnamon for a slow period and to ease cramping.

• Musculoskeletal system

  • Anti-inflammatory cinnamon can be supportive for conditions of arthritis and joint pain, consider adding cinnamon into an anti-inflammatory diet plan. Cinnamon has been traditionally worked in ayurvedic medicine as an ingredient in golden milk, a medicinal anti-inflammatory milk recipe. Anecdotally, my grandmother works with cinnamon for her arthritis, she mixes a spoonful of cinnamon into honey and then adds to it her coffee as a sweeter. She has found this to be very helpful for preventing arthritis flare-ups. 

• Circulatory system 

  • Warming and stimulating cinnamon improves circulation, this can be helpful for headaches caused by stagnant conditions. 

• Respiratory 

  • Cinnamon is a helpful support when working with respiratory ailments due to its warming, decongesting, antispasmodic and antiviral properties. Cinnamon can replace wild cherry in a respiratory formula if you are in need of a potent antispasmodic demulcent for dry and unproductive coughs. Consider making cinnamon infused bath salt mix for a warming and stimulating remedy when combating colds. It is a strong antiseptic and breathing in the scent of warming cinnamon can be helpful for relieving congestion. 

• Emotional 

  • As a warming and circulatory herb, cinnamon can also impact a person's emotional state, helping them feel a boost of vitality. If you run cold and have a sluggish digestion, taking warming cinnamon can release someone from a depressed and anxious mood. Cinnamon is helpful for reducing sugar craving and can help a person stick to a more balanced diet, a healthy diet of whole foods known to have positive effects on mood. Cinnamon helps improve the processing of sugar, if you are prone to emotional eating, perhaps take cinnamon to help balance out the effects of sugar. Consider combining cinnamon with its friend hawthorne to create a blend for support during grief or sadness.     

• Topical

  • Cinnamon is well known for its antiseptic and antifungal properties. This can be helpful for topical applications such as athlete's foot. Make up a strong decoction of cinnamon, soak a cloth in it, and then apply it to a fungal infection, such as infected eczema. 

    
    

In practice:

• Cinnamon is known for its use in digestion. When there is diarrhea, work with cinnamon in a capsule form to help it interact with the GI tract. A decoction can be a preferred method when treating a bloated or cramping stomach, relaxing muscular tissues. Work with a cinnamon decoction after a large meal or when bloated. Consider making a decoction for period cramping relief.

• Cinnamon is potent for improving insulin sensitivity and this can have benefits for those who are diabetic, it's important to take blood sugar 3-5 times per day and discuss your medication with your doctor. It can be taken in food or as capsules. Cinnamon can be a viable option for diabetic folks in poverty, it is inexpensive and readily available.    

• Cinnamon is anti-inflammatory and can be helpful for people experiencing joint pain and arthritis. Consider adding cinnamon to your favorite sweet treats and recipes. It is a great addition to morning coffee or tea. 

• Cinnamon can be helpful for dehydration, stir into water and wait about an hour, this is helpful because of its demulcent properties.

• Cinnamon is demulcent and antispasmodic, as well as antiviral, making it a great option for cold and flu remedies. Consider working with cinnamon as a decoction during a cold or flu or creating cinnamon bath salts for decongestion. 

• Topically, cinnamon is a helpful antiseptic and antifungal, make a decoction and soak cloth in it, then apply this to the infected area. Another way to treat athletes foot is to put powdered cinnamon into a sock. 

• Cinnamon can help reduce sugar cravings, this can help people stick to a healthy whole foods diet, reducing the crash out after eating too much sugar and helping folks have a more balanced mental state.  It does not suppress appetite and can allow us to get into a healthy balanced diet. Consider making a cinnamon decoction in the evening and drinking it in the morning, starting your day with support to help you stay on track in choosing nourishing whole foods. In my personal experience as someone who struggles with overeating sugar,  I’ve found cinnamon to be very effective. For six weeks I added cinnamon into my morning oatmeal and at about three weeks in I noticed a large reduction in sugar cravings, by the end of six weeks my habits around sugar were much more balanced. 

• There are two types of cinnamon, cinnamomum verum and cinnamomum cassia, cassia is widely available and has been researched for its ability to lower blood sugar. 

• Cinnamon is inexpensive and easy to find, it is a great option for those in poverty, consider working with cinnamon for folks that are on a budget or may have trouble getting access to a health foods store. 

Cautions :

Cinnamon will impact blood sugar and those with diabetes will need to talk with their doctor and discuss medication when taking medicinal doses of cinnamon.  Cinnamon contains high levels of coumarin and people who have liver problems should take less than 2g per day. Cinnamon is demulcent and it will create a slime, this is why it is not preferred as a tincture. 

Friends: ginger, clove, nutmeg, rose, hawthorn, linden

This is for research purposes and should not be taken as medical advice.

Cited works 

Doherty, Brighid. “Cinnamon, More than a Spice!” Solidago School of Herbalism, Solidago School of Herbalism, 14 Nov. 2020, www.solidagoherbschool.com/blog/2020/11/13/hfn6h58dvfva693o1u0fdwxueu8ege. 

Gladstar, Rosemary. Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide. Storey Publishing, LLC, 2012.

Groves, Maria Noël. Body into Balance: An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self-Care. Storey Publishing, 2016.

Hoffmann, David. The Herbal Handbook: A User’s Guide to Medical Herbalism. Healing Arts Press, 1998. 

Swift, Katja, and Ryn Midura. “Cinnamon - Materia Medica Entry Text.” Accessed 19 May. 2025.  

Swift, Katja, and Ryn Midura. “Cinnamon - Cinnamomum verum & C. cassia

” Family Herbalist Course https://online.commonwealthherbs.com/courses/take/materia-medica/lessons/2374039-cinnamon-cinnamomum-verum-c-cassia Accessed 19 May. 2025. 

Taylor, Lalitha. “4 Best Spices for Arthritis.” Arthritis Society Canada, Arthritis Society Canada, arthritis.ca/living-well/2022/4-best-spices-for-arthritis. Accessed 19 May 2025.