In medieval times it was used to blend the flavors of meat and fruit together to make food both more nutritious and more palatable, later on the crusaders added sugar and removed the meat mostly because meat was scarce in the middle eastern desserts whilst dates and similar fruit was more widely available, today’s mince pies that you get at the supermarket during the Christmas season (Something my daughter can not get enough off), is still based on the same recipe that has been used for more than a 1000 years.
When stocking your supply cupboard whether it’s your spell craft supplies or your cooking supplies it’s always important to remember that whole cinnamon last longer than powdered cinnamon the only problem with whole cinnamon is that it is not so easy to grind, hence the popularity of powdered cinnamon.
In order for you cinnamon to contain its flavor longer it is recommended to keep it away from light and in an air tight container. An common use of cinnamon during the medieval times when it was a little more widely available than in the early days of the Egyptians, was to preserve meat, due to its anti fungal and anti bacterial properties.
Cinnamon outside the Kitchen
When is comes to medical properties of cinnamon it has remarkable anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties and can be used to treat nausea and flatulence. Some even suggest using it for diarrhea. Cinnamon contains cinnaldehyde which can be used to prevent blood clots in fact many modern anti blood clotting medicines contain either cinnaldehyde extracted directly from cinnamon or a synthetic cinnaldehyde.
The cinnaldehyde in cinnamon helps prevent unwanted clumping of blood platelets. (The way it accomplishes this health-protective act is by inhibiting the release of an inflammatory fatty acid called arachidonic acid from platelet membranes and reducing the formation of an inflammatory messaging molecule called thromboxane A2.) Cinnamon's ability to lower the release of arachidonic acid from cell membranes also puts it in the category of an “anti-inflammatory” food that can be helpful in lessening inflammation.
Other functions of cinnamon include such things as the prevention of Candida (a problem most women are familiar with), blood sugar control. So next time your indulging in one last cinnamon pancake, you can lessen your feelings of guilt by remembering that it’s really good for you.
Cinnamon is one of my favorite examples of how natural and ancient remedies, in this case taking ground cinnamon to reduce inflammation and using a cinnamon based paste to pack on wounds to prevent infection, has been almost directly translated into use in modern medicine.
Cinnamons effect on the mind
Studies have shown that the mere small of this wonderful herb can induce brain activity, The Association for Chemoreception Sciences, in Sarasota, FL, found that chewing cinnamon flavored gum or just smelling cinnamon enhanced study participants’ cognitive processing. Specifically, cinnamon improved participants’ scores on tasks related to attentional processes, virtual recognition memory, working memory, and visual-motor speed while working on a computer-based program.
Participants were exposed to four odorant conditions: no odor, peppermint odor, jasmine, and cinnamon, with cinnamon emerging the clear winner in producing positive effects on brain function. Encouraged by the results of these studies, researchers will be evaluating cinnamon’s potential for enhancing cognition in the elderly, individuals with test-anxiety, and possibly even patients with diseases that lead to cognitive decline. So if your feeling a little slow after a late night, or just need to focus your attention a bit more, burn some cinnamon incense.
In addition to its unique essential oils, cinnamon is an excellent source of the trace mineral
manganese and a very good source of
dietary fiber,
iron and
calcium. The combination of calcium and fiber in cinnamon is important and can be helpful for the prevention of several different conditions. Both calcium and fiber can bind to bile salts and help remove them from the body.
By removing bile, fiber helps to prevent the damage that certain bile salts can cause to colon cells, thereby reducing the risk of colon cancer. In addition, when bile is removed by fiber, the body must break down cholesterol in order to make new bile. This process can help to lower high cholesterol levels, which can be helpful in preventing atherosclerosis and heart disease. For sufferers of irritable bowel syndrome, the fiber in cinnamon may also provide relief from constipation or diarrhea.
Cinnamon in ancient China
In ancient China cinnamon was also used to help with the symptoms of colds and flu especially when you mix it with tea and ginger, if that sounds familiar it should, most people still swear by this mixture to this day.
Cinnamon and Wicca
In Wicca and witchcraft cinnamon is also know in for a number of wonderful properties such as love and passion, money and wealth and let’s not forget health and purification. Cinnamon is also a very spiritual herb. As such, cinnamon is a common spice in traditional Sabbat foods. For magickal purposes, you can use either the powdered form or the oil. Entire sticks are sometimes used, usually for making charms. Cinnamon is also used for psychic awareness and when mixed with myrrh, it is used as incense for rituals involving the summoning of spirits.
The mythological Phoenix was said to build its nest out of cinnamon, as well as spikenard and myrrh.
Cinnamons properties:
Element: fire
Deity: Apollo
Animal: lion
Body part: heart
Tarot: The Sun