Should you put cinnamon in coffee? Check out our guide and find out the reasons to add cinnamon to your cup of joe and the best way to do it.
Cinnamon is pretty much a staple in most households.
But have you ever tried to put some cinnamon in coffee?
If your answer is no, let me give you a bunch of very good reasons why you should sprinkle some in your next cup of joe.
I spent hours researching the benefits of cinnamon in coffee, and I can tell you that besides it tasting great, it’s also a great booster for your immune system.
Let’s start!
11 Reasons to Add Cinnamon to Your Coffee
I love fresh cinnamon since I was a kid. The smell of my grandma’s cookies with cinnamon is one of my first and dearest memories. It is one of my favorite spices, and I use it all the time.
Of course, I tried and loved coffee with cinnamon. First, I tried coffee with cinnamon-flavored syrup.
Later I found out that you can use ground cinnamon. Since then, I often add a dash of cinnamon to my brew.
I was both surprised and happy when I learned that cinnamon is really good for your health.
So, if you’re still doubting, let me give you some good reasons why you should give it a try.
Coffee will taste better
Coffee with cinnamon is not a new thing. There is a huge variety of coffee recipes with ground cinnamon or cinnamon-flavored syrup.
Cinnamon has a very distinctive flavor that complements coffee really well. It will add a sweet and zingy kick.
The key is not to go overboard with it.
Cinnamon is a strong spice and can easily overpower other flavors. Compared to flavored syrup, ground cinnamon has a much stronger flavor and aroma.
PRO TIP
Go slow when you’re adding cinnamon to your brew. Taste it until you find the perfect balance between coffee and cinnamon flavor.
It’s packed with antioxidants
Cinnamon is fully packed with antioxidants.
Antioxidants have been a trendy topic for a while now.
But why?
Antioxidants protect our cells from free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that damage our cells and are linked to heart diseases, arthritis, cancer, and other diseases.
We take antioxidants throughout our diet. And that implies healthy food, including cinnamon.
NOTE
Coffee itself has a lot of antioxidants. But, in combination with cinnamon, it has even more benefits for your body.
Natural source of vitamins and minerals
We don’t perceive spices as a source of vitamins and minerals.
But you’ll be happy to know that cinnamon actually has some of those.
Cinnamon contains:
- calcium
- manganese
- vitamin A
- vitamin K
Although it won’t satisfy all your daily needs for vitamins and minerals, it’s definitely a nice addition to your diet.
PRO TIP
Another way to get additional vitamins and minerals in your coffee is by adding flaxseed. It contains nutrients such as Vitamin B1, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, and Copper.
Soothes the symptoms of a cold
If you catch a cold, coffee with cinnamon can be a great choice if you still need your caffeine boost.
Hot drinks are always the best choice when you have a sore throat or runny nose.
But besides that, cinnamon has antifungal and analgesic properties. Because of that, it was used as a natural remedy against bronchitis.
Drinking it hot can warm your body, “open” your sinuses, and reduce mucus build-up.
Lowers the risk of heart disease
Maybe the biggest plus for cinnamon is that it’s very good for your heart.
Cinnamon fights high blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides. All of those can be responsible for different heart and cardiovascular diseases.
So, adding a little bit of cinnamon to your coffee can be a life-extending decision.
Prevents high blood sugar
High blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, is when the level of sugar in your blood is too high. People with diabetes often struggle with this.
Studies have shown that cinnamon can reduce glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels in the blood.
In that way, cinnamon can help you regulate your blood sugar if you have diabetes.
It might improve sensitivity to insulin
Cinnamon might improve your sensitivity to insulin, as some studies showed.
Why is this beneficial?
Insulin is a hormone that transports glucose from your blood to your cells. It’s essential for turning food into energy.
Increased insulin sensitivity means that your cells use glucose more efficiently. This aids in lowering your blood sugar levels. This can prevent the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
It may be beneficial against Alzheimer’s disease
Some studies claim that cinnamon shows neuroprotective effects, which could slow down Alzheimer’s disease.
This neuroprotective effect of cinnamon is interfering with multiple oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory pathways which can be beneficial for Alzheimer’s disease prevention and against its progression. That’s why scientists show more and more interest in this spice regarding its uses in Alzheimer’s disease treatment.
It can help you with weight loss
If you struggle with weight loss, think about adding cinnamon daily to your coffee.
Eating heavy and fatty food boosts levels of triglycerides in your blood. Cinnamon regulates triglycerides.
Also, high sugar levels in the blood are responsible for our desire to have a snack.
So, adding cinnamon to your coffee can help you beat all those cravings for sweets.
Helps sickness prevention
Cinnamon can be a really tasty and helpful supplement to your diet.
It is:
- anti-inflammatory
- antioxidant
- antimicrobial
- helps with cardiovascular diseases
So, there’s no doubt it can only be beneficial to your health to take it regularly. It will boost your health and help you with preventing some sicknesses.
It’s good against bad breath
In the old times, they chewed on cinnamon sticks to cure bad breath.
It’s not just because cinnamon smells nice.
The actual reason is that cinnamon oils kill bacterias in your mouth that gives you bad breath.
Today, you can find cinnamon in lots of natural kinds of toothpaste.
Add it to your coffee, and it can actually reduce that bad after-coffee smell.
4 Simple Ways to Add Cinnamon to Coffee
Although there’s no way to go wrong with it, here are some easy ways to spice up your coffee.
Cinnamon stick
This is probably the easiest and fastest way to add some flavor to your coffee.
Take a cinnamon stick and speak it in a hot brew.
That’s it!
KEEP IN MIND
The cinnamon stick has an intense taste and aroma, so pay attention to how long you are leaving it in your coffee.
Add it to brewed coffee
If you have ground cinnamon, be aware that if you just add it to the finished brew, it won’t dissolve.
While this is totally fine, ( meaning it will release all the flavors into the coffee), cinnamon will float in your mug.
If you want to avoid that, first dilute cinnamon in a little bit of hot water, and then add it to coffee.
NOTE
Besides mixing cinnamon with ground coffee, it also looks nice as decoration over cold (or hot) milk foam. Cinnamon is often sprinkled over a cappuccino.
Brew it with coffee
The best way is to add ground cinnamon to your coffee grounds and then brew it together.
That way, it will blend nicely with coffee. You will get a beautifully-tasting drink, and the cinnamon won’t clump up.
You can brew your coffee with any coffee maker, from a French press to a drip coffee machine. You can also dissolve cinnamon with instant coffee in hot water.
NOTE
You can brew coffee with cinnamon-flavored whole bean coffee! Flavored coffee beans won’t have a prominent cinnamon taste as previously mentioned methods. But, if you enjoy subtle notes, this one is for you.
Cinnamon iced coffee
You can actually put powdered cinnamon into an iced coffee.
The simplest way is to add some cinnamon syrup to the coffee. But, if you don’t have the syrup, the cinnamon powder will work.
Of course, if you just stir the powdered cinnamon in the cold coffee, it will clump up. Instead, use a cocktail shaker or a mason jar to mix the ingredients.
Here is my favorite Cinnamon Iced Coffee recipe:
- Mix coffee (cold brew concentrate works best), cinnamon, brown sugar, and milk in a cocktail shaker.
- Add ice cubes to the shaker, and shake it again. (energetically!)
- Put some ice cubes in a tall glass, and pour the mixture over the ice.
- Enjoy your spiced coffee!
Conclusion
And there you have it:
Cinnamon isn’t just a flavourful spice. It is a super healthy addition to your coffee.
Drinking tasty cinnamon coffee is way better when you know that it’s good for you. It protects your heart, it’s a powerful antioxidant, helps you lose weight, and takes care of smelly breath.
Do you need any more reason to dash some cinnamon over your latte?
Love flavored coffees? If you want to try something besides cinnamon coffee, look at our article and find the best coffee flavors to treat your taste buds.
