Why Cinnamon is Good for Everyone: A Natural Way to Control Blood Sugar and Boost Health

Introduction

The prevention and management of type II diabetes is one of the most discussed and researched topics in the field of nutrition and dietetics. Blood sugar is important for us to manage as healthy people and those diagnosed with type II diabetes. Cinnamon has been clinically proven to improve blood sugar. When something has been ‘clinically proven’ it means that the claims made about a food or product have been backed up by real scientific evidence obtained from clinical trials. Studies on the pharmacological use of cinnamon have been conducted on healthy individuals and those with diabetes and the results, especially for diabetics, were astounding! 

How does it work?

What does it do? Cinnamon contains polyphenols. Polyphenols are bioactive compounds found in plants that promote good health. The specific polyphenols found in cinnamon behave almost the same way as insulin. The polyphenols of the spicy household herb have properties that regulate blood sugar by signaling our cells to absorb glucose. Cinnamon can increase insulin sensitivity. We want to remain sensitive to our body’s insulin in order to stay healthy. Insulin sensitivity may decrease if you have an inadequate diet, if you live a sedentary (non-active) lifestyle, are overweight or obese, or if you have endocrine disorders (for example: PCOS). As insulin sensitivity decreases we are increasing our risk of obesity, developing type II diabetes, inflammation, and even non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Research-based evidence

Now let’s take a look at the research. Feel free to skip to this segment if you are not into this sort of thing! The peel of Cinnamomum cassia (cinnamon) was ground up into a fine powder, measured, bagged up, then divided amongst three groups of test subjects. The study was conducted on 41 healthy men and women ages 24 and up. Test group #1 received the bags with 1 gm of cinnamon, group #2 received the 3 gm bags, and group #3 received the 6 gm bags of cinnamon. Each group was informed to eat their cinnamon once a day with either milk or apples every day for 40 days. Their preprandial (pre-meal) blood sugar was recorded at the beginning and the end of the experiment. The blood sugar of the subjects were measured on day 1, day 20, and day 40 of the experiment. At the end of the experiment, all three groups saw a decline in their blood sugar levels. The group taking 6 gm of cinnamon per day saw a significant decrease in blood sugar compared to the other two test groups. The blood sugar for group #3 (6 gm of cinnamon per day) on average experienced a 3.55% decline in blood sugar from day 1 to day 20. Then they saw a 12.71% drop in blood sugar from day 20 to day 40. There was a significant decline in postprandial (post-meal) blood sugar for participants on the 3 gm and 6 gm diet. Also, they saw a drop in Hba1C in all three test groups over the course of the 40 days.

Similarly, a study was conducted on individuals with type II diabetes. In a separate study examining the impact of cinnamon consumption on blood glucose levels, 30 individuals with type 2 diabetes were divided into three groups of 10 participants each. Each group was given daily cinnamon capsules in doses of 1 g, 3 g, or 6 g for 40 days. Blood glucose levels were measured at the start of the study, on day 20, and on day 40, following cinnamon consumption. The study's results revealed that cinnamon significantly and clearly reduced the patients' blood sugar levels.

Overview

As you can see, there are significant health benefits in those taking 500 mg to 6 gm of cinnamon daily in healthy and diabetic individuals. Blood sugar control is important for everyone no matter the condition. For those that take care of their health, looking into cinnamon supplementation would be a very reasonable step to take towards taking control of your health and longevity. If supplementation does not seem appealing, adding more cinnamon to the diet throughout the day can help reduce blood sugar spikes after a big meal. Try sprinkling it into your coffee, on top of apple slices & peanut butter, on toast, on pancakes/waffles, or even baking it into your favorite desserts to keep your blood sugar stable when eating a sugary food item. By enhancing insulin sensitivity, cinnamon offers a simple yet effective tool for supporting overall health and preventing metabolic disorders, including type II diabetes. Whether you're looking to improve blood sugar control or simply maintain a healthy lifestyle, adding cinnamon to your daily routine can be a flavorful and impactful choice for managing your health and longevity.

Sources

Kizilaslan, Nildem, Erdem, Nihal Zekiye, The Effect of Different Amounts of Cinnamon Consumption on Blood Glucose in Healthy Adult Individuals, International Journal of Food Science, 2019, 4138534, 9 pages, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/4138534