These Are The Benefits Of Using Cinnamon Oil
Besides using it in stick-form and in apple cider, your cinnamon habit can extend to unconventional uses — plus, it's great for your health. As the seasons change, the scent of cinnamon can characterize more than your fall-scented candle and help with some practical purposes, too.
Studies show that cinnamon oil contains powerful antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic and antioxidant components (via Healthline). Used in various aromatherapy practices, cinnamon oil can also work as a mood booster, bringing sensations of comfort and relaxation. You can make a cinnamon oil solution then rub it on your skin with a carrier oil, or load up your diffuser with the scent.
According to VeryWellHealth, properties in cinnamon oil also help destroy a type of bacteria that can cause cavities, making it a powerful oral-health aid. Plus, the scent can widen your blood vessels. This phenomenon is responsible for the oil's positive impacts on circulation and helping bring more blood throughout the body. If that isn't enough, cinnamon helps to balance out blood sugar levels, which is particularly helpful if you're diabetic.
Choose the right type of cinnamon oil for you
Depending on your needs, you can use cinnamon essential oil, cinnamon leaf oil, or cinnamon bark oil — one is a little more abrasive on the skin, so you should know which is best for you. Amy Galper, certified aromatherapist says, "Cinnamon essential oil is steam distilled either from the leaf or the bark of the cinnamon bush or tree," and the leaf, "tends to be less irritating to the skin and lungs, while the bark oil can cause severe irritation that presents like a burn" (via Well+Good).
If you've been struggling with stuffed up sinuses or a cold, diffusing cinnamon essential oil can help unblock nasal passages and airways. With all of these benefits, it may be wise to consider adding it to your natural-cleaning arsenal. On top of working as an antibacterial aid, cinnamon oil may even help fight off neurological disease and enhance your cognitive abilities — so next time you're struggling to focus, grabbing your cinnamon oil may help.
"The best way to use cinnamon oil is very cautiously. Cinnamon oil is best used in a blend with other essential oils that are soothing to the skin, like sweet orange oil, lavender oil, tea tree oil, patchouli oil, and geranium oil," Galper shares with Well+Good. Without carrier oils or complementary substances, it can be rough on the skin, lungs, and eyes.
With all of these benefits, cinnamon could be a year-round remedy after all.