Great Uses For Cinnamon

This everyday spice can nourish your skin, boost your memory, and keep the pounds away. Memory keeper Cinnamon gum gives you more than fresh breath: In a Wheeling Jesuit study, people who chewed the gum did better on memory tests than those who chomped on other flavors or didn�t chew gum at all. Throat soother Calm a scratchy cough with a cinnamon-infused drink: Soak cinnamon sticks in cold water for several hours, then sip. This beverage contains mucilage, a water-soluble fiber that coats and soothes the throat, says Lillian M. Beard, MD, author of Salt in Your Sock and Other Tried-and-True Home Remedies. Skinny snack Trying to lose some weight? Use cinnamon. The spice regulates swings in blood sugar, cutting hunger spikes, accord�ing to research from the U.S. Depart�ment of Agriculture. For a low-cal fat-busting treat, sprinkle some cinnamon on slices of baked apple. (Studies show that people who eat apples consume fewer cal-�ories and have less abdominal fat.) Feet treat Antioxidant-rich cinnamon softens rough, tired skin. Try this pampering foot bath from Elizabeth TenHouten, author of Cooking Well: Beautiful Skin (out in November): Mix the juice of 5 lemons, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup water, and 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon; soak your feet in the mixture for 15 minutes.