From the Brain Bulletin

Brain Bulletin 95:  This Good -for-your brain-food has '0' Calories

 Cinnamon is my favourite "brain spice". I use it daily.

 Cinnamon can slow down the aging of your brain, it tastes good, it's inexpensive, it's easy to use, and it has almost zero calories.

 If that's not enough, consider this:

•  Researchers at Tel Aviv University found that cinnamon may be an important key in Alzheimer's prevention.
•  The same study found that this spice breaks up brain plaques that many believe causes Alzheimer's. 
•  Cinnamon has also been shown to protect against infectious disease.
•  Eating cinnamon produces sodium benzoate in your body. This increases neuro-chemicals in your brain called neurotropic factors. These help you neurons to stay alive, and stimulates the birth of new neurons (Psychology Today).
•  Cinnamon reduces blood sugar levels and also reduces cholesterol levels by up to 25%.

Cinnamon has been used since biblical times. Moses added it to anointing oil. The Chinese called it Gui Zhi, and used it for antibacterial properties. Medieval physicians treated infection and arthritis with cinnamon. 

Also, it seems that almost everyone I talk to is trying to lose weight. One teaspoon of cinnamon has just 6 calories. A dash has almost zero. Most of the 6 calories are from carbohydrates. Six percent of calories is from protein, just 1% from fat.

This year, why not make cinnamon part of your daily routine.

You could sprinkle cinnamon on apple slices. Top salad, smoothies, cereal, yogurt, special coffees with this "brain spice". I like to sprinkle it on toast and honey. Some people add it to soup and meat.

- Terry Small