Cinnamon, the Queen of Spices

This spice was the cause of major wars between the great powers of Europe. It inspired Vasco da Gama to discover the sea route to India, and this was the plant that was the inspiration behind the discovery of America.
The cinnamon is a small , handsome tree with shiny leaves, which is a native of India and Sri Lanka. Its bark is what we use in our cooking. Highly skilled workers in the cinnamon plantations of Kerala, peel the bark from lopped off branches.
This tree is planted as an ornamental roadside tree in my neighbourhood. Whenever there is a shower, I walk past it to inhale the fragrance of the leaves.
Cinnamon is very effective in controlling blood sugar levels. Honey and cinnamon taken together , reduce cholesterol levels and strengthen the immune system.