Cinnamon Kick

Kari & I both love cinnamon toast....and the best in the world is made by Donnas Kay (the secret is to broil it). However, I've just recently discovered that we've grown up using the cheapest grade of cinnamon and haven't had sense enough to know what we are missing! I bought a bottle of Saigon Cinnamon....and could immediately tell the difference in just the smell!

Since I've really begun to feel rotten from this head hold (which seems to be located in just my nose!) I made my mulled cider last night (or course, the 22 degree weather spurred me along, too) and made me 2 pieces of broiled cinnamon toast. I woke up in the night with my throat on fire, so heated some more of the mulled cider almost to the boiling point and downed it using a straw so I wouldn't burn my tongue. It was a good pain! lol

Facts about cinnamon:

*It's a small tree that grows in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Brazil, Vietnam, and Egypt--it's the bark that is used for spice.
*There are 4 varieties of cinnamon, but the two popular ones are Ceylon and Cassia.
*Ceylon cinnamon is sweeter and the bark is thinner than Cassia.
*Cassia cinnamon is the least expensive and is commonly sold in supermarkets in the U.S. [Saigon cinnamon is the high end of this variety.]
*Ceylon cinnamon sells for about $32 a pound and is sometimes called the true cinnamon.

[Ceylon cinnamon on left; Cassia cinnamon on right]

Health benefits of cinnamon:

*Cinnamon can help lower cholesterol.
*It may help regulate blood sugar.
*It can stop medication-resistant yeast infections.
*It can reduce the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.
*It has an anti-clotting effect on the blood.
*It can provide significant arthritis pain relief.
*It inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage.
*Smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory.
*It fights E. coli bacteria in unpasterized juices.
*It's a source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium.