Ways In Which Cinnamon Benefits Health

Antibacterial And Antifungal Properties

Cinnamon has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Its component, cinnamaldehyde, may help treat different types of infection, and cinnamon oil can be used to treat infections of the respiratory tract caused by fungi.

In 2006, The American Journal of Chinese Medicine described a study in which researchers determined both pure cinnamaldehyde and cinnamon oil inhibited the growth of various types of bacteria and fungi. The bacteria studied included Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhymurium, and Vibrio cholerae, while the fungi included several different species of Candida, Aspergillus, and Trichophyton.

Five years later, researchers compared the efficacy of cinnamon oil to clove oil in treating tooth decay. While clove oil is often touted as an effective treatment, the researchers found cinnamon oil was even more effective. During that same year, the Journal of Clinical Dentistry described a study in which scientists determined cinnamon freshened breath by temporarily reducing the bacteria population in the mouth.