In all seasons, there is nothing like a little cinnamon to give warmth and flavor to our dishes. Low in calories, this spice is rich in fiber and essential minerals. It also has anti-inflammatory effects, anti-microbial and antioxidant effects which make it a powerful ally in the fight against free radicals and the development of certain diseases (cardiovascular problems, diabetes, etc.).

But today, we would like to tell you about another of its benefits that scientific studies confirm more and more. Indeed, cinnamon would also have positive effects on memory and learning!

Cinnamon and memory, what is the link?

Already in 2016, researchers from Rush University and Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Chicago (USA) wanted to observe the effects of cinnamon on the brain. To do this, they began by placing mice in a maze, with food at the exit as a reward. This first phase allowed them to determine which were the fastest mice, i.e. those who had managed to find the exit the fastest, and which were the slowest mice, who had more difficulty to orient themselves.

The scientists were able to form two groups of mice, the fast ones versus the slow ones. For one month, they supplemented the slow mice with cinnamon before repeating the maze experiment. During this second phase of the study, they found that not only did the slow mice improve their running time - 90 seconds less. But they also became just as fast as their fast counterparts a month earlier.

In just one month, the mice with the most difficulties had made up for their learning deficiencies... thanks to a little cinnamon. To understand this phenomenon, the researchers analyzed the brain cells of the supplemented mice.

They discovered that one of the chemical compounds of cinnamon, sodium benzoate, would act directly on the plasticity of the brain, that is to say its capacity to "repair" and restructure itself.

And on a part of the brain in particular, thehippocampus.

Of course it is not the marine animal, but a cerebral structure, present in both hemispheres, which is in charge of the memory and the representation in the spaces

Itis in this structure that the first lesions of the Alzheimer's disease appear, hence the difficulties to remember or the disorientation, which are the first symptoms. Now, according to this American study, consuming cinnamon would allow to maintain and reinforce the plasticity of the hippocampus... and therefore, of the memory.

Cinnamon: are there any confirmed benefits in 2023? 

More recently, a new meta-analysis, published at the beginning of this year, came to reinforce this hypothesis. Based on about 40 studies among the 2065 chosen at the beginning of their research, Iranian scientists have also found a link between cinnamon and an improvement of memory and learning.

"In vivo studies have shown that the use of cinnamon or its components, such as eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, and cinnamic acid, can positively alter cognitive function. (...) In vitro studies have also shown that the addition of cinnamon or cinnamaldehyde to a cell medium can reduce the aggregation of the protein tau, amyloid β (both implicated in the development of Alzheimer's disease) and increase cell viability."

Although more studies are still needed on the subject, for a few years now, research has tended to confirm the beneficial effects of cinnamon on memory. So take the right step now and start adding a little cinnamon to your daily diet, to spice up your dishes, whether savory or sweet, or your drinks.

How to choose your cinnamon ?

First of all, try to get fresh quality cinnamon, for example in a specialized store. To get all the benefits of this spice, make sure you choose the right original Ceylon cinnamonmore pure than the one from China, called casse (Cinnamomum cassia) and which is also frequently found in the trade.

To recognize them, know that in the form of sticks, Ceylon cinnamon rolls up on itself, while Chinese cinnamon folds inward, on both sides, like the hearts of France.