Cinnamon adds the sense of sweetness and a unique flavor to baking, smoothies, oatmeal, and anything else you can dream up. What you may or may not know is that by sprinkling cinnamon on your meals more often, you might be adding years to your life.
Blood Sugar Regulation – Weight Loss
One of the main health benefits of consuming cinnamon is its ability to help the body regulate blood sugar better. By consuming cinnamon with your meal, you slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.
When blood sugar rises faster than we can use it for energy, the excess is stored as fat. Cinnamon’s ability to slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream results in lower blood sugar levels, meaning we aren’t saving the excess as fat. Creating steady blood sugar levels is one of the most important ways to help ensure steady weight loss instead of gain.
Blood Sugar Regulation – Type 2 Diabetes
In addition to slowing down absorption in the stomach, research shows that cinnamon can help improve glucose metabolism by up to 20 times! This is excellent news for those with pre-diabetes or diabetes looking to control their blood sugar levels.
Reduce Risk of Heart Disease
Research shows that adding cinnamon can help improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels. High cholesterol may increase your risk for cardiovascular disease. High triglycerides increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Improving these numbers helps lower your risk factors.
Fights Inflammation
New research is looking at cinnamon’s ability to function as an anti-inflammatory. Chronic Inflammation is considered one of the leading risk factors related to many chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, neuro-degenerative disease, and others.
Potent Antioxidant
Many studies have investigated cinnamon’s potential to fight damage to cells and resulting conditions such as cancer. While animal studies are promising, more research is needed to determine the effects in humans. Regardless, cinnamon is a potent antioxidant rich in polyphenols that can provide you with an immunity boost.
Incorporate Cinnamon Into Cooking
It is not advised to take cinnamon supplements because there isn’t enough research on them and they can cause severe significant side effects. However, it is recommended to use as much of it as you can in your cooking! A half a teaspoon a day may be enough to start getting the benefits of this super spice.
Here are some ideas on how to add it into your meals:
- Stir in oatmeal
- Stir into yogurt
- Add to smoothies
- Sprinkle on toast with nut butter
- Add to baked goods
- Use it to add flavor to sweeter veggies like sweet potato, butternut squash, or carrots.