A Healing Spice (Cinnamon)

Sue Cartwright • 5 April 2025

Cinnamon is loved for its warming, healing and cleansing properties

A Healing Spice (Cinnamon) by Sue Cartwright, Spiral Leaf

A Healing Spice Guide


Cinnamon is the first spice to feature in my new Healing Spice Guide. 


This luxurious and warming spice was first recorded as being consumed around 2000 BC, where its use in ancient Egypt were for both culinary and medicinal purposes. An ancient Greek inscription describes Cinnamon and Cassia as gifts donated to Apollo at the temple of Miletus.


Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka, India and Myanmar. It is also cultivated in South America and the West Indies. It is an evergreen tree characterised by oval-shaped leaves, a thick bark and a berry fruit. When harvesting, the bark and leaves are the primary parts of the plant used.


To harvest Cinnamon, two to five-year-old trees are cut back to a stump which causes them to start growing like a bush and producing new shoots. These are harvested and the outer bark is removed leaving the inner bark which is polished, stretched, layered and hand-rolled into quills that are trimmed and dried.


Cinnamon is a very versatile spice that can be used to make warming herbal teas (see below) and for baking. You can add ground Cinnamon to steamed rice during cooking for a delightfully warming dish or try sprinkling onto your coffee or hot chocolate. The perfect partner for apple and pumpkin pies, cakes, biscuits and pastries, and delicious dusted over hot buttered toast or porridge.


I hope you enjoy discovering the warming and healing benefits of Cinnamon - a wonderful addition to any diet with many different uses for your general good health, nourishment and wellbeing.

A Healing Spice (Cinnamon) by Sue Cartwright, Spiral Leaf

Folklore


Cinnamon is embedded in, and embodies, many cultures and people. It tells the story of cold Winter nights soothed with warm mulled wine, of sumptuous Danish baked goods, of hot chocolate drinks by the fire and pumpkin pies. 


Cinnamon has appeared in ancient Egyptian texts (as a gift from the Gods) and also in the Bible. It was a precious commodity traded across the globe for centuries and was considered a rarity. It was often very expensive to purchase, creating a status symbol of wealth and divine favour.


Cinnamon is renowned for its cleansing and protective properties and in Pagan times was often used to protect against evil spirits and negative energies. The warm, invigorating scent is said to create a barrier against harm, shielding the user from spiritual attacks or unwanted influences. 


Today, it is used in protective magic with the burning of Cinnamon sticks, where the smoke is used to cleanse a space and create a spiritual shield.

A Healing Spice (Cinnamon) by Sue Cartwright, Spiral Leaf

Nutrition


Cinnamon is a highly prized spice that has been used since ancient times for its medicinal and healing properties. It has the highest antioxidant strength of all the food sources and is several hundreds more potent than any fruit or vegetable.


Cinnamon is a great source of vitamins A and B-complex and minerals such as chromium, iron, zinc and calcium. It is particularly good for helping to ease diarrhea, nausea, sickness, indigestion, flatulence and arthritis.


Cinnamon is known to help prevent and shorten the duration of the flu as it helps to eliminate congestion and mucus from the body. It is also beneficial for lowering cholesterol and helping to regulate blood sugar. Cinnamon is known to help increase circulation and contains anti-clotting compounds which makes it highly beneficial for helping to prevent strokes and coronary artery disease.


Cinnamon is very good for reducing inflammation and has the amazing ability to stop yeast infections, candida and menstrual cramps. It helps to boost memory and cognitive function, and simply smelling Cinnamon or its essential oil can make you feel more alert and focused.


SOURCE: Medical Medium - Cinnamon

A Healing Spice (Cinnamon) by Sue Cartwright, Spiral Leaf

Remedies


Cinnamon and Ginger Herbal Tea

Cinnamon combines especially well with Ginger to make a powerful herbal tea that will provide instant relief and gentle healing at the onset of a cold, chest or upper respiratory infection.


  1. Add 3 x Cinnamon sticks and a few slices of Fresh Ginger to a pan of filtered water.
  2. Bring up to the boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes.
  3. Allow to cool slightly and strain into a cup, mug or larger glass container to store in the fridge.
  4. Add Raw Honey and fresh Lemon juice to taste before serving.


Cinnamon Morning Boost

Cinnamon helps to boost memory and cognitive function, just smelling Cinnamon or its essential oil can help make you more alert and focused. 


Try adding a dusting of Cinnamon to your morning coffee or add a pinch or two to your mid-morning smoothie or freshly squeezed fruit juice. 

A Healing Spice (Cinnamon) by Sue Cartwright, Spiral Leaf

Recipes 


Banana and Date Cinnamon Cake

A soft and tasty cake with no sugar added as all the sweetness comes from natural ingredients including Bananas, Raisins and Dates. A wonderful rich flavour when paired with cream cheese, apple sauce (see below) and oat flakes.


COMING SOON!


Cinnamon Apple Sauce

Try making this simple cleansing and mood boosting recipe by placing the following ingredients in a food processor and blending until smooth for a fresh and nutritious fruit sauce.


  1.  2 x large Cooking Apples (peeled and poached until soft)
  2.  3 x Medjool Dates 
  3.  A few pinches of Cinnamon (to taste)
  4.  Drizzle of Maple Syrup (to sweeten)

A Healing Spice (Cinnamon) by Sue Cartwright, Spiral Leaf

Explore the directory

I hope you enjoy this ongoing series of posts about the healing and health benefits of spices which make a healthy and flavoursome addition to many a warming recipe.


Thank you for joining me on this exciting journey of spicy delights and discovery. I look forward to seeing you again soon.


Sue Cartwright

Spiral Leaf

Thank you for sharing!

 for you, for me and for Mother Nature

Latest Posts

A post about the healing and medicinal benefits of Iodine
by Sue Cartwright 18 July 2026
A post about an essential broad-spectrum antimicrobal trace element required by the body to regulate hormones
A poem about the energy of the New Buck Moon in Cancer
by Sue Cartwright 14 July 2026
A poem about the energy of the New Buck Moon bringing the opportunity to reset and make meaningful changes
A book review about Tales of the Mill by Simon Cooper
by Sue Cartwright 9 July 2026
A wonderful book full of stories about an old mill renovation and a chalk river community in Nature brought back to life
A post with ideas and things to do in Nature in July
by Sue Cartwright 4 July 2026
A post with ideas for things to do in Nature in July with the health benefits of walking in bare feet and making a bee hotel
An Almanac to bring you closer to Nature in July
by Sue Cartwright 1 July 2026
A post with dates to celebrate high Summer as the Sun rises the high in the sky and we soak up the beauty of Nature
A poem about the Full Strawberry Moon in Capricorn
by Sue Cartwright 30 June 2026
A poem about the intensely transformational phase of the Full Strawberry Moon in the grounding energy of earthy Capricorn
More posts

All Posts

A post about the healing and medicinal benefits of Iodine
by Sue Cartwright 18 July 2026
A post about an essential broad-spectrum antimicrobal trace element required by the body to regulate hormones
A poem about the energy of the New Buck Moon in Cancer
by Sue Cartwright 14 July 2026
A poem about the energy of the New Buck Moon bringing the opportunity to reset and make meaningful changes
A book review about Tales of the Mill by Simon Cooper
by Sue Cartwright 9 July 2026
A wonderful book full of stories about an old mill renovation and a chalk river community in Nature brought back to life
A post with ideas and things to do in Nature in July
by Sue Cartwright 4 July 2026
A post with ideas for things to do in Nature in July with the health benefits of walking in bare feet and making a bee hotel
An Almanac to bring you closer to Nature in July
by Sue Cartwright 1 July 2026
A post with dates to celebrate high Summer as the Sun rises the high in the sky and we soak up the beauty of Nature
A poem about the Full Strawberry Moon in Capricorn
by Sue Cartwright 30 June 2026
A poem about the intensely transformational phase of the Full Strawberry Moon in the grounding energy of earthy Capricorn
A post about the life giving properties of natural Copper
by Sue Cartwright 24 June 2026
A post about the importance of introducing Copper into your daily health routine to help your body turn iron into energy
A poem about the power and symblolic meaning of a waterfall
by Sue Cartwright 20 June 2026
A poem about the power and magnificence of a waterfall which symbolises renewal, healing and the unstoppable force of life
A poem about the energy of the New Strawberry Moon in Gemini
by Sue Cartwright 15 June 2026
A poem that captures the freshness of early Summer and the New Strawberry Moon as fruits start to swell in the sunshine
A post about the healing benefits of natural Magnesium
by Sue Cartwright 13 June 2026
A post about the life-giving and healing benefits of Magnesium as part of a healthy diet and daily nutritional routine
Show More