One of my favorite spices, especially this time of year, is cinnamon. Cinnamon has been used as food and medicine since ancient times. It comes from the rust colored inner bark of the cinnamon tree.I love it in smoothies, oatmeal, granola, coffee and hot toddies. Luckily, cinnamon has some great health boosting properties.

In addition to being delicious, cinnamon:

*Helps balance blood sugar, which is why it’s so great to add to smoothies and desserts

*Is rich in antioxidants that help reduce inflammation

*Reduces the risk of heart disease and also lowers blood pressure

*Boosts brain health – 2 compounds found in cinnamon appear to inhibit the buildup of the protein that is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease

*Keeps your teeth pearly white and your breath smelling fresh with its anti-microbial effects

1/2 grapefruit
1 stick of cinnamon

Put the grapefruit and cinnamon in a tea pot (or a quart mason jar) and cover with boiling water. Let seep for 10 minutes, then enjoy! I love to drink this during the cold months.