Cinnamon is an antioxidant-rich spice that has become the rage of The Super
Foods Rx Diet, by Wendy Bazilian. Cinnamon boasts a rating of 6,956 ORAC
(Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity), beating out even anti-oxidant-rich foods
such as blueberries and cranberries, according to the USDA.
A Study of the antioxidant capacities of 277 selected foods were released in
November, 2007, by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists. The new
database provides easy access to antioxidant values for a wide variety of foods,
cinnamon having one of the highest ratings. It has also been suggested that
cinnamon may improve blood glucose and cholesterol levels in people with Type 2 diabetes.

The database will be used by scientists to help guide current research into
how antioxidants affect our nutritional health. For example, many fruits
and vegetables are known to be good sources of antioxidant vitamins,
such as E, C, and beta carotene, a form of vitamin A. But these natural foods
also contain other compounds, collectively known as phytonutrients, that
may also contribute to better health.

Other healthy spice winners include cloves, oregano, turmeric, curry powder,
ginger, thyme, paprika, rosemary, black pepper, garlic powder, cumin and
chili powder.

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