BS, Dietetics and Nutrition
Cinnamon is one of the most aromatic in the spices family. As you know, it is widely used in preparations of mouth-watering desserts and many other cuisines that are consumed daily.
Apart from its unparalleled taste, cinnamon also bears some crucial medicinal values.
It is rich in manganese, iron, copper, and zinc. Not only does cinnamon spice up your food, but it also can provide you with significant health benefits.
One of which is lowering blood sugar.
People suffering from diabetes face raised levels of blood sugar. Their insulin levels and functioning gets disturbed, hence, the high blood sugar levels.
So does cinnamon lower blood sugar?
Scientists, through their researches, conclude that cinnamon works to lower down blood sugar levels and helps in Type 2 Diabetes.
In Type 1 Diabetes, no significant results are obtained.
You must be wondering, how does cinnamon lower blood sugar levels?
So, let me get into the science of it a little bit.
First of all, let’s understand what exactly is Type 2 diabetes. This is also known as Diabetes Mellitus.
It is essentially a progressive illness where the body becomes insulin resistant or can completely stop producing insulin.
Insulin regulates the sugar level in your blood. It facilitates the organs to absorb glucose from the blood, thereby lowering or regulating the glucose level in the blood.
Thus, when there is no insulin, there is no signaling for glucose absorption from blood.
Cinnamon is found to have shown significant results in improving insulin sensitivity in the blood. Because of this, it can very well bring down the sugar level in your body.
To be precise, the Cassia variety of cinnamon is effective in lowering blood sugar levels.
Different types of cinnamon
Cinnamon comes from the bark of trees. It is harvested majorly in China and South East Asia.
There are broadly two types of Cinnamon found; one is Cassia Cinnamon, and the other is Ceylon.
I have explained them below briefly for a better idea.
Cassia Cinnamon
This is highly aromatic and is very peppery in flavor. With a darker shade than Ceylon Cinnamon, Cassia Cinnamon is harder. It comes with an inward fold and empty cavity. This is found more efficient in lowering blood sugar levels and controlling Type 2 Diabetes.
Ceylon Cinnamon
This one is a mild fragrance variant of cinnamon. It is softer than the former and comes folded like a cigar. Ceylon is obtained and used widely in South East Asia. However, this has not shown any significant results in regulating insulin compared to Cassia cinnamon.
How much is cinnamon powder recommended to control diabetes?
In various studies, scientists have found out that if you are suffering from pre-diabetic symptoms, then cinnamon is beneficial.
Having said that, it does not mean, for diabetic patients, cinnamon is useless. It utterly depends on upon an individual’s body, how it reacts to this spice.
In scientific studies, it was found that 1/2 tablespoon to 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, when taken daily for a month approximately, reduces sugar levels in the blood.
But, one major concern here is if your body can take that much cinnamon.
Cinnamon is powerful and can turn out to be toxic to the body. Better is to try a little bit of it and then increase the dose.
Do not do this without consulting your physician, as cinnamon can produce side effects when taken with certain medicines. Especially if you have liver problems, stay away from this spice.
Recommended ways to consume cinnamon
Cinnamon powder with honey
Cinnamon with Honey is known to be effective in weight loss.
You can try Cassia Cinnamon powder mixed with honey and have it daily for five days a week with a weekend break.
Mix the powder with one tablespoon honey and have it. Else, you can mix the two in water and drink it.
If you want to include this in your breakfast, spread the honey and cinnamon powder mixture on your bread and consume it.
No need to tax your brain and think, where to get Cassia cinnamon powder from!
Cinnamon Tea
Now that you know where to get cinnamon powder from, you can also mix this in your tea. It will be healthy and tasty to have daily.
Please note, if you notice any reaction against cinnamon tea or powder, consult your physician and stop its usage.
Cinnamon Sticks
Get the cinnamon sticks and put them in water to boil. When it boils, drink that water.
It will help you lower the blood sugar levels and provide you with other benefits such as boosting immunity and reducing weight.
If you show pre-diabetes symptoms and can’t tolerate Cassia Cinnamon, you can also try Ceylon Cinnamon. It is milder and will also help regulate your insulin, if not very much, then little.
What are the other health benefits of cinnamon?
Besides regulating the insulin and blood sugar in your body, cinnamon has other very significant health benefits.
It helps increase metabolism and thus, contributes to reducing weight. Cinnamon is excellent in boosting immunity.
It shows similar results as turmeric in boosting the immune system and fighting against bacteria.
Also, it protects your body against cancer. This aromatic spice also helps in protecting cavities and bad breath.
Its anti-inflammatory property builds the damaged tissues faster and also prevents heart diseases by reducing cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which are some risk factors for heart problems.
Aside from heart diseases, cinnamon is also said to have beneficial effects on certain neurodegenerative disorders. For instance, some compounds in cinnamon appear to prevent the accumulation of a protein in the brain, which is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.
Lastly, cinnamon may protect your body against bacterial and fungal infections too. Some studies suggest that cinnamon oil may help kill fungi that may cause some respiratory tract infections.
Are there any side effects of cinnamon?
Having mentioned all the benefits of this largely used spice, I would also like to throw some light on the side effects you can face.
- Because cinnamon is powerful, it can cause the skin to get inflamed.
- Pregnant women and high blood pressure patients are not recommended cinnamon.
- If you have stomach problems like acidity, refrain from using this spice.
- There can also be rashes, seen on the skin, as an adverse effect of cinnamon.
While cinnamon is believed to have million-dollar medicinal benefits, it is also essential to consult your physician before its regular use. This is especially true if you take other supplements that help lower blood sugar levels. For instance, caution is necessary if you use supplements like garlic, bitter melon, psyllium, and other options available in the market. The same caution applies to other diabetes medications, as the interaction can cause serious side effects, including liver problems.
For these reasons, you have to be very cautious while consuming it daily, as this is not something that will suit everybody type.
Where to buy the best Cinnamon?
There are different Cinnamon types, so it is essential to choose proper Cinnamon for your needs—check out my post about the best Ceylon Cinnamon brands.
My conclusion – will cinnamon help you fight diabetes?
Consuming cinnamon to lower blood sugar levels is just one additional way to prevent diabetes.
You can not depend wholly on cinnamon consumption to get rid of diabetes.
You should follow all the basic diabetes preventive measures like proper diet, regular exercise, and periodic doctor consultations with prescribed medicines.
Keep your sugar level in check and if it increases, consult your physician without any delay. For example, if you want to monitor your blood sugar level, consider taking the A1C test. It refers to a common blood test to determine and diagnose type 1 and 2 diabetes. The test findings can also be used to develop a good diabetes treatment plan.
Hence, if you want to keep track of your average blood glucose over the past 2 to 3 months, an A1C home test kit can be the best option. The good thing about this test kit is that it helps save time and money. With this kit, you don’t need to go to the doctor and wait for a long time for the laboratory results. Finally, because the kit is affordable, you don’t have to spend more money on expensive lab draws and panels.
Conclusion
Cinnamon usage along with a proper lifestyle will help you keep diabetes controlled if not completely cured. And by keeping the information mentioned above in mind, you’ll understand how cinnamon can help fight diabetes and provide other essential health benefits to your body.
If you have any concerns or queries regarding this, kindly post them in the comments, and I will make sure to address them!
