Cinnamon Treatment for Diabetes

Cinnamon and Diabetes - Is It For You?

Various foods and plants have been proven to have a substantial effect on the blood sugar level and insulin response. One of these plants is cinnamon, a well known ingredient that is used by a lot of people around the world. But when people think of cinnamon, they usually think about sweet desserts and such; but can cinnamon treatment for diabetes really be helpful?

Well, let me give you a short introduction to the wonderful plant that is cinnamon. Cinnamon is a short tree that measures up to 15 meters in height. While it is indigenous to Sri Lanka, it can be found in Brazil, India, Indonesia and Brazil, just to name a few… Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices ever used and is prepared by rolling up the dried bark of the tree into sticks. The distinguishable taste of cinnamon comes from an aromatic essential oil that counts for less than 1% of its composition.

While there are many types of cinnamon, the most popular types are Ceylon cinnamon, which stands for the former name of Sri Lanka, and Cassia. Cinnamon has been used for ages as a treatment for various diseases such as colds and diarrhea.  In Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, it is used to treat indigestions; and in traditional Chinese medicine, it is used for a variety of disorders from energy loss to painful menstrual periods.

But how can cinnamon help people with diabetes? Well a study that was published in a journal called Diabetes Care in 2003 suggested that there was a relation between cinnamon intake and lower blood glucose levels. The study was conducted on 60 people affected by type 2 diabetes. Each participant had to take the equivalent of one quarter to one and a half teaspoon worth of cinnamon over the period of 40 days.

After the 40 day period, all 3 amounts of cinnamon reduced fasting blood glucose by 18 to 29%, triglycerides by 23 to 30%, LDL cholesterol by 7 to 27%, and total cholesterol by 12 to 26%. However, there was no difference between the participants who took the equivalent of a quarter of a teaspoon of cinnamon versus those who took one and a half teaspoon worth of cinnamon daily. Another study that was conducted on a small group of Swedes who were given either rice pudding alone or rice pudding with cinnamon showed that the participants who were administered a portion of rice pudding with cinnamon experienced a lower rise in blood sugar after their meal compared to those who took rice pudding without cinnamon.

So there is strong evidence that proves that cinnamon treatment for diabetes does indeed have an effect on the blood glucose level and can help diabetics control their blood sugar. Adding cinnamon to your recipes or drinking a cup of cinnamon tea in the morning is a great way to insert cinnamon in your diet. However, make sure you don’t replace your regular medication with cinnamon; it might lead to serious complications…