Executive Summary:
- The nutrients found in honey and cinnamon exhibit similar health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting properties.
- Scientific studies suggest that the combination of honey and cinnamon is synergistic—more powerful than the individual compounds—with higher antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties reported.
- High-quality honey, like Manuka honey, and Ceylon cinnamon can easily be incorporated into a wellness routine by adding them to various beverages and meals.
Cinnamon and Honey: Unraveling Their Combined Health Benefits
Honey and cinnamon are so much more than a delicious flavor combination. Traditionally, the therapeutic properties of cinnamon and natural honey have been said to cure a number of ailments and bring relief—but without scientific evidence to back it up.
Now, thanks to scientific studies, we know that the nutrients present in honey and cinnamon possess unique and powerful properties that support health and wellness—but what effect do they have when combined?
While studies are limited, there’s enough evidence to suggest that honey and cinnamon are a synergistic combination. So, let’s dive in and piece together the facts. How can you enjoy all the benefits that honey and cinnamon offer?
Cinnamon: A Brief Overview
Cinnamon is a spice that is made from the bark of the Cinnamomum tree, which is native to India and Sri Lanka. It has been used in a number of applications dating all the way back to Ancient Egypt, where it was used in the mummification process. Yet, as many of us know, this isn’t all that cinnamon is good for.
Traditionally, cinnamon was and is used to flavor various sweet and savory dishes. It has also been used as a remedy for gastrointestinal complaints, to help mask bad breath, and soothe toothache.
Nutrients Found in Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a blend of water, carbohydrates, fiber, and a source of various vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, magnesium, calcium, magnesium, and iron.
Of particular interest, though, is cinnamaldehyde—one of the organic compounds found in cinnamon that gives it its unique flavor, aroma, and proven health benefits.
The Health Benefits of Cinnamon - What Science Says
Cinnamon has been widely studied, and the results are impressive! A collection of studies confirms that the compounds found in cinnamon (cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, and cinnamate) offer the following benefits:
- Antioxidant properties
- Anti-fungal properties
- Reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
- Reduce the risk of cancer
- Help control blood sugar levels
- Reduce inflammation
It’s easy to see why cinnamon is celebrated all over the world. With its unique flavor, and beneficial properties, this spice packs quite the punch.
Honey's Health Profile
Like cinnamon, honey has also been enjoyed and praised for its delicious flavor and beneficial nutrients for hundreds of years.
Honey contains water, vitamins, and minerals but is mostly a collection of sugars. Many of the more complex ones—polysaccharides—behave in unique and beneficial ways. It also contains polyphenols that contribute to its beneficial properties.
Honey that is natural, unprocessed, and non-heat-treated exhibits the following properties, most of which complement and overlap with the beneficial properties of cinnamon:
- Antioxidant properties
- Regulates blood sugar
- Reduces the risk of cancer
- Reduces the risk of obesity
- Lowers bad cholesterol
- Supports the immune system
- Supports nerve health
- Supports liver health
Honey and cinnamon taste delicious when combined, but their mutual health benefits make them an ideal pair to support your body in many different ways—and science agrees! So, let’s take a closer look at combining these two power foods together.
The Combined Benefits of Cinnamon and Honey
Combining honey and cinnamon is a logical and practical way to support health and wellness in a natural way. For example, both contain nutrients and compounds that offer antioxidant properties and support regular blood sugar levels.
Surprisingly, studies suggest that when you combine honey and cinnamon, the synergistic duo and their nutrients offer additional benefits—more than the sum of its parts. The studies are limited, but the results so far are exciting. So, how do the combined benefits of cinnamon and honey stack up?
Honey and cinnamon have additional antibacterial properties when combined.
A scientific study examining the effects of honey, cinnamon, and the two combined proved that the combination is more powerful than either honey or cinnamon individually at acting against a specific bacteria known to cause skin acne.
Another study exploring the effects of honey and cinnamon on the bacteria that cause dental cavities also proved that the combination was far more effective than the individual components.
There is also evidence that the components in cinnamon and honey help destroy the bacteria responsible for bladder infections.
Honey and cinnamon may improve the quality of life in cancer sufferers.
One study investigated the effects of the combination of honey and cinnamon on women suffering from breast cancer and the effects of the associated medical treatment. The results indicated that nutrients in cinnamon and honey reduced pain, improved energy, relieved constipation, and improved calorie intake. Patients also reported improved mental health.
Honey and cinnamon may alleviate pain caused by arthritis.
The anti-inflammatory properties of the combination of honey and cinnamon may also relieve the joint pain caused by arthritis.
While we wait for science to reveal more about this fascinating combo, you can safely—and enjoyably—incorporate honey and cinnamon into your lifestyle in a few different ways.
Practical Ways to Incorporate This Duo
Cinnamon and honey are naturally delicious, so incorporating them into your diet is a real treat. A helpful rule of thumb is to use half the amount of cinnamon as honey. So, simply put: if you take two teaspoons of honey, add one teaspoon of cinnamon.
How to Take Honey and Cinnamon
Here are a few practical ways to enjoy the synergistic benefits of this powerful pair—but the possibilities are almost endless.
- Drink honey cinnamon water: add two teaspoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon to two cups of slightly warm water on an empty tummy first thing in the morning—or before a workout.
- Add honey and cinnamon to your favorite smoothie.
- Blend honey and cinnamon into butter or coconut oil and spread it on toast.
- Honey and cinnamon are delicious additions to a bowl of oatmeal.
- Drizzle honey and sprinkle cinnamon over a freshly sliced apple.
Helpful Tips for Benefiting from Honey and Cinnamon
Because of the delicate compounds present in honey and cinnamon, you need to keep a few things in mind in order to enjoy their full potential, including:
- Avoid high temperatures—even though honey and cinnamon are delicious in hot tea, the high temperature breaks down many of honey’s beneficial nutrients.
- Not all cinnamon is the same. Opt for (True) Ceylon cinnamon rather than Cassia cinnamon, as Cassia cinnamon contains high amounts of a toxic chemical, coumarin, whereas Ceylon cinnamon only contains traces.
- Not all honey is the same. Take time selecting a honey that is pure, natural, unprocessed, undiluted, and non-heat treated (non-irradiated). The closer your honey is to what was harvested from the hive, the better.
- Certain honey, like Manukora’s Manuka honey from New Zealand, contains additional antioxidant and antimicrobial nutrients due to its unique origins from the nectar of the Manuka Tea Tree. Choose the best quality honey you can afford—it’s worth every cent.
Honey and cinnamon aren’t just a delicious pairing; they’re a powerful and all-round health boost that supports your body in several ways. Take time to consider the value of your future health and make an informed choice that supports your lifestyle and your future goals.
Remember to choose cinnamon and honey that reflect the quality your body deserves—your wellness routine will get a whole lot sweeter!
Sources:
Cinnamon Nutrition Facts - URMC
Cinnamon: A Multifaceted Medicinal Plant - PMC
Composition, functional properties and safety of honey: a review - PMC
The synergistic effect of honey and cinnamon against Streptococcus mutans bacteria - science direct
