It’s hard to believe that an herb now found in everyone’s spice cabinet once cost 15 times more than silver. That’s right! When the Europeans first discovered cinnamon in the first century, it was so valued that a jar of cinnamon cost a small fortune. Recognized health benefits of cinnamon go all the way back to 2800 B.C.E. when the father of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shen Nong, first adopted its use. The use of cinnamon as a natural health product, a culinary spice, in religious ceremonies, and as a food preservative has since spread throughout the world. Perhaps it is its sweet-spicy flavor that has cemented it as a favorite spice among many even to this day. Or maybe its staying power is due to having among the highest antioxidant levels of any spice. Either way, cinnamon has long been a staple in traditional health practices and is here to stay.