Cinnamon is one of the world’s most popular spices. Used in baked goods, cereals, and desserts, cinnamon has an earthy spicy flavor that cuts through the sticky sweetness found in cinnamon rolls for example. But beyond just adding flavor to breakfast muffins, cinnamon plays an important role in blood sugar regulation. It also has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and cholesterol-lowering properties.

Here are 3 common health problems that eating cinnamon everyday can help improve:

1. Cinnamon regulates blood sugar.

The Journal of Medicinal Food notes that cinnamon has long been known in the Chinese medicine tradition to affect blood glucose and insulin signaling. A study published in the journal also found that cinnamon improves fasting blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.

2. Cinnamon fights obesity.

Recent decades of research has found that obesity is a pro-inflammatory disease, according to the Annual Review of Nutrition. The anti-inflammatory properties in cinnamon have been found to fight obesity and obesity-related diseases like atherosclerosis.

3. Cinnamon kills bad breath.

Cinnamon freshens breath by reducing the bacteria that produce volatile sulfur compounds in your mouth. According to the Journal of Clinical Dentistry, chewing cinnamon gum reduces bad breath for more than 20 minutes.

How often do you eat cinnamon?

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