When it comes to cinnamon, there are two main types that can be found in grocery stores: Cassia Cinnamon and Ceylon Cinnamon. The cassia variety (also called “Chinese cinnamon”) is the more common of the two, and it is generally cheaper to produce. Grown in East Asian countries like China, Indonesia and Vietnam, this cinnamon is considered to be of lower quality and can cause some adverse health effects if consumed in bulk, but it is still often sought out for its lower prices.

Ceylon cinnamon, however, is indigenous to the lush island of Sri Lanka. Known to some as “true cinnamon”, this variety comes with a slightly higher price tag, but also boasts a much better nutritional profile than cassia. It produces a milder, more delicate flavor than cassia’s overpowering spiciness, and can be safely consumed in large amounts without undue health effects.

When deciding between varieties, Ceylon cinnamon is the easy winner. But how exactly can cinnamon be used for weight loss?
 

How Ceylon Cinnamon Helps with Weight Loss

• It cuts down on the negative effects of high-fat meals.
  Cinnamon reduces the amount of triglycerides in your blood. Triglycerides are a type of fat that your body creates out of the excess glucose in your blood, to store in fat cells around the body. Essentially, the more triglycerides in your system, the larger your risk for weight gain and heart disease. However, studies have shown that adding spices like cinnamon to high-fat meals can reduce the body’s triglyceride response by around 30 percent.

  Simply put, adding some Ceylon cinnamon to your dishes is both an easy and delicious way to control your weight.

• It regulates our insulin response.
  Cinnamon may be able to increase our body’s insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar, which in turn can lead to weight loss. Insulin is a hormone that signals whether we should burn or store more fat in our bodies; in order to burn through our fat stores, we can use Ceylon cinnamon to control insulin levels and assist our bodies in losing weight.
• It promotes overall health.
  Cinnamon contains powerful anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that should be taken advantage of. Consuming the spice regularly is likely to go a long way towards maintaining a healthy body that is better at processing food in general.

There are several ways to add Ceylon cinnamon to your diet to take advantage of its weight loss-benefits. Besides including the spice in your cooking, you could consume it on a daily basis in the form of a morning or evening tea. The Pure Ceylon Cinnamon Brew from Nature’s Rare uses organic Ceylon cinnamon, with no added caffeine, artificial flavors or preservatives. Certified as USDA Organic, non-GMO and 100% vegan, the teas from Nature’s Rare use genuine Ceylon cinnamon in their tea sachets instead of the cinnamon-flavoring commonly found in today’s teas.

You could also make a mixed drink of honey and cinnamon for weight loss. Honey has been shown to curb appetite, and potentially help you burn calories while you’re asleep. Simply add a teaspoon or two of honey to your delicious cup of Nature’s Rare Cinnamon Brew to take full advantage.
 

Other Health Benefits of Ceylon Cinnamon

In addition to aiding in weight management and increasing insulin sensitivity, consumption of cinnamon has been shown to help with menstrual cramps, fight cancer, and may promote heart health.

With heart disease being one of the leading causes of death worldwide, adding Ceylon cinnamon to one’s diet may provide a natural way to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In fact, there are two types of cholesterol in our bodies: HDL (the “good” cholesterol) and LDL (the “bad” cholesterol). Cinnamon is such a potent spice that it has been shown to potentially increase our levels of HDL while simultaneously reducing our levels of LDL.

While its weight-loss benefits make it an attractive addition to any diet, the other health benefits of Ceylon cinnamon also showcase why it can be considered such a powerhouse of a spice.