Cinnamon oil

Cinnamon bark oil (Cinnamomum verum) is derived from the plant of the species name Laurus cinnamomum and belongs to the Lauraceae botanical family. Native to parts of South Asia, today cinnamon plants are grown across different nations throughout Asia and shipped around the world in the form of cinnamon essential oil or cinnamon spice. It’s believed that today over 100 varieties of cinnamon are grown worldwide, but two types are definitely the most popular: Ceylon cinnamon and Chinese cinnamon.

Browse through any essential oils guide, and you’ll notice some common names like cinnamon oil, orange oil, lemon essential oil and lavender oil. But what makes essential oils different than ground or whole herbs is their potency. Cinnamon oil is a highly concentrated source of beneficial antioxidants.

Cinnamon has a very long, interesting background; in fact, many people consider it one of the longest-existing spices in human history. Cinnamon was highly valued by ancient Egyptians and has been used by Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine practitioners in Asia for thousands of years to help heal everything from depression to weight gain. Whether in extract, liquor, tea or herb form, cinnamon has provided people relief for centuries.

Benefits of Cinnamon Oil

Throughout history, the cinnamon plant has been tied to protection and prosperity. It’s said to have been part of a mixture of oils used by grave-robbing bandits to protect themselves during the plague in the 15th century, and, traditionally, it’s also associated with the ability to attract wealth. In fact, if you were lucky enough to have cinnamon during ancient Egyptian times, you were considered a wealthy man; records show that the value of cinnamon might have been equivalent to gold!

The cinnamon plant is used in a few different ways to produce medicinally beneficial products. For example, you’re probably familiar with common cinnamon spice that’s sold in nearly every grocery store in the U.S. Cinnamon oil is a bit different because it’s a much more potent form of the plant that contains special compounds not found in the dried spice.

1. Heart Health-Booster

Cinnamon oil can naturally help to boost heart health. An animal study published in 2014 demonstrates how cinnamon bark extract along with aerobic training can help to improve heart performance. The study also shows how cinnamon extract and exercise can help to lower both overall cholesterol and LDL “bad” cholesterol while raising HDL “good” cholesterol.

Cinnamon has also been shown to help foster nitric oxide production, which is beneficial for people with heart disease or who have suffered from a heart attack or stroke. In addition, it contains anti-inflammatory and anti-platelet compounds that can further benefit arterial health of the heart. (6)

2. Natural Aphrodisiac

In Ayurvedic medicine, cinnamon is sometimes recommended for sexual dysfunction. Is there any validity to that recommendation? Animal research published in 2013 points towards cinnamon oil as a possible natural remedy for impotence. For the animal study subjects with age-induced sexual dysfunction, Cinnamomum cassia extract was shown to improve sexual function by effectively boosting both sexual motivation and erectile function.

3. May Help Ulcers

A type of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori is known to cause ulcers. When H. pylori is eradicated or reduced this can greatly help with ulcer symptoms. A controlled trial looked at the effects of taking 40 milligrams of a cinnamon extract twice daily for four weeks on 15 human patients known to be infected with H. pylori. While the cinnamon did not completely eradicate the H. pylori, it did reduce colonization of the bacteria to some extent and it was well-tolerated by patients.