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Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice for Balancing Blood Sugar
‘Tis the season to break all the rules. If holiday food is wreaking havoc on your blood sugar, don’t worry, adding cinnamon to meals, treats, and drinks can help!
According to a 2009 study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, cinnamon helps reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and heart disease.
In this study, 22 individuals with pre-diabetes were split into two groups. One group got 250 mg of cinnamon extract twice a day with meals and the other group received a placebo.
At 6 and 12 weeks after the start of the study, the group that consumed the cinnamon showed an average of a 23 percent increase in antioxidant levels, which resulted in lower fasting blood sugar levels.
In another study, 26 common household spices were evaluated for their natural antioxidant capacity. Cinnamon was the clear winner, weighing in with more polyphenol antioxidants than another other spice.
In the same study, cinnamon was also shown to improve insulin sensitivity, which allows cells to uptake healthy levels of glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream, lowering blood sugar levels after a meal. Plus, 1,000-6,000 mg cinnamon daily for 40 days restored healthy levels of cholesterol.
In a separate double-blind, placebo-controlled study, supplementing with the mineral chromium had a similar effects. Several studies show enhanced benefits when cinnamon and chromium are taken together. Read more about LifeSpa Sugar Balance HP, which combines cinnamon and chromium to support healthy blood sugar levels.
Regulating Blood Sugar During the Holidays
While you can take a cinnamon pill, you can also sprinkle cinnamon on just about anything. You can put it in your tea or coffee, on desserts, in soups, or even take it straight if you are getting ready to binge on some holiday treats.
The holidays are also a good time to test your morning blood sugar. The more aware you are of which foods or activities affect blood sugar in a negative way, the closer you can come to making any dietary changes needed to prevent high blood sugar—the number one cause of cardiovascular disease.
Here are the top five risks associated with increasing blood sugar levels:
- Cardiovascular disease
- High cholesterol
- Belly and hip fat
- Dementia
- Wrinkles
Don’t forget to add cinnamon to your favorite drinks and dishes for a stress-free holiday!
Hi Dr. Doulliard,
Thank you for all your valuable information bridging ancient healing wisdom and modern science. I practice and study Traditional Tibetan Medicine and think the linking of the ancient wisdom with modern science is the way to bring the best of our healing knowledge to our time.
In my compilation of a Tibetan Materia Medica I want to differentiate between Cinnamomum Zeylanicum and C.Cassia. Can you comment or point me to a reliable source on this topic?
Thank you!
Wondering if there is a preferred time of day to take this?