Cinnamon is a type of herb which is used as a culinary spice.  It is from the laurel family and is native to Sri Lanka and South India.  Its distinctive flavour comes from an aromatic essential oil which makes up just 0.5-1% of the spice. 

Cinnamon has been known for centuries and is even mentioned in the Bible.   The bark is used as a spice and is found in both sweet and savoury cooking as well as in drinks such as tea, cocoa and liqueurs.  In the Middle East it is often used in savoury dishes but in the States it is often combined with sugar and used on pancakes or in apple dishes. 

 

It has been suggested that cinnamon is helpful for a number of health problems including flatulence, heartburn, nausea, toothache and bad breath.  It is thought to have antibacterial properties and so might help with E coli and helicobacter pylori.  More recently it has had some publicity with regards to lowering cholesterol and the management of blood sugar and insulin resistance. 

One study in Diabetes Care in 2003 showed that cinnamon used on a daily basis could help to reduce glucose, total cholesterol and LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes.  It seems to help lower glucose levels in Type 2 diabetes as it improves the transport of glucose into the cells.  Cinnamon is also thermogenic which means that it helps to burn off fat. 

Tahini also known as sesame paste is made by crushing sesame seeds.  It is used in both Middle Eastern and East Asian cooking.  In the Middle East the tahini is made from seeds which have been hulled but the East Asian is made from unhulled seeds which makes it darker and more bitter but higher in nutrients. 

Tahini is a good source of calcium, B vitamins and essential fatty acids.  It also has good levels of vitamin E which is a powerful antioxidant and helpful in slowing down the ageing process. Tahini and sesame seeds are good foods in terms of bone health because of the high calcium levels.  The fats from the sesame oil are mostly unsaturated and are helpful in maintaining healthy skin and hair.

 

Tahini also had good levels of an amino acid methionine.  This amino acid is important for efficient liver detoxification. 

 

Tahini is most commonly used in making hummus which also includes chick peas, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic but it can also be a substitute spread instead of butter or margarine.  It can also be used to make a sauce for vegetables just by adding a bit of tamari (or soya sauce) and lemon and mixing to the consistency that is preferred. 

Celery is a thick, light-green stalked vegetable of the parsley family.

Celery contains phytochemical compounds called 3-n-Butyl (3nB) phthalides, which not only give it its flavour but have also been shown to lower blood pressure.

 

Studies with animals have also shown that 3nB can lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the formation of the arterial plaques which can result in cardiovascular disease. In animal studies, 3nB has also been found to help prevent strokes and to enhance energy production in the brain, as well as to improve neurological function after simulation of a stroke.

 

Antioxidant celery compounds called coumarins are also the focus of much current scientific research due to their potential as anti-cancer therapies. The celery seed oil extract sedanolide has, along with 3nB, been found to inhibit tumours in lab tests. Celery is an excellent source of vitamin C, which has anti-carcinogenic properties through its role as an antioxidant and is rich in folate a vitamin required to make DNA and to prevent pre-cancerous changes to it.

 

In addition, celery is a good source of manganese, which is important for normal central nervous system and reproduction functions; fibre, which keeps your colon healthy, preventing constipation, diverticulitis and cancer, and potassium which can also help to keep blood pressure low.