HealthandDiets.com - Cinnamon Helps Blood Sugar

Learn about the research on blood sugar and cinnamon, and find out one of the easiest ways to improve blood sugar--a daily cup of cinnamon tea.

One of the easiest things you can do to improve blood sugar and increase insulin is add up to a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to your diet each day.

Some of the research highlights about the cinnamon-blood sugar connection are:

A human study published in Diabetes Care looked at 60 people with type 2 diabetes, 30 men and 30 women with an average age of 52. They were divided into 6 groups: groups 1, 2, and 3 consumed 1, 3, or 6 g of cinnamon daily, respectively, and groups 4, 5, and 6 were given placebo capsules corresponding to the number of capsules consumed for the three levels of cinnamon.
After 40 days, all three levels of cinnamon intake reduced fasting blood glucose ranging from 18 to 29%, triglycerides 23 to 30%, LDL cholesterol 7 to 27%, and total cholesterol 12-26%. The researchers concluded that "The results of this study… suggest that the inclusion of cinnamon in the diet of people with type 2 diabetes will reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases."
The active insulin-enhancing compounds in cinnamon are found in the water soluble portion and not the oil. Not only have they been found to increase glucose metabolism by up to 20-fold, but they also have antioxidant activity.

How to Make Cinnamon Tea

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup boiling water black teabag (optional) stevia Place the cinnamon in a cup. Add the boiling water and steep for 10 minutes. Sweeten with stevia if desired.

More tips

The active compounds aren't lost with heating, so you can also try adding cinnamon to water before heating and boiling them together. If you don't like the look or texture of tea made with ground cinnamon, try making a tea by bringing water to a boil with a piece of cinnamon bark added to it. Try sprinkling cinnamon on salads, oatmeal, or adding a bit to chicken or meat before cooking. Do not use more than 1/2 teaspoon a day, an amount that appears to be safe for most people. More Health Benefits of Cinnamon Cinnamon increases vitality and balances energy. It is particularly good for people who tend to have a hot upper body and colder lower body. I see this quite often, especially among women entering menopause. Symptoms are flushed face, sweating, insomnia with cold and dry legs and feet. Cinnamon improves the digestion of fruits, milk, and other dairy products. Cinnamon is also good for bloating, gas, poor digestion, arthritis, anemia, painful menstrual periods, and diarrhea.

Precautions

Cinnamon can add to the effect of insulin and other blood sugar medication. Consult a health care practitioner if you are currently taking medication to control your blood sugar. If you're pregnant or breast feeding, don't take extra cinnamon greater then normally found in food unless recommended by your health care practitioner.