Published in · 7 min read · Mar 24, 2018
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What is that sweet fragrance coming from tasty curries, pulavs, and biryanis, the one that makes your mouth water and opens up all your senses?….
Yes, you’re right, it is cinnamon.
Cinnamon has emerged as a superfood recently, but did you know it has been used by humans since 2000 B.C for medicinal purposes and as a flavouring agent in drinks and food?
I am sure that you must have heard of one of the most common uses of cinnamon and that is to manage diabetes.
This blog will help you know how cinnamon helps in managing diabetes, how much cinnamon a diabetic can consume, and what are the other health benefits of cinnamon. So, let’s begin by knowing what cinnamon is…
Cinnamon is commonly known as Dalchini in Hindi and is derived from a Greek word meaning “sweet wood”. It is a sweet pungent (sharp flavoured) spice derived from the dried inner bark of a bushy evergreen cinnamon tree.
Its sweetness is due to the presence of its essential oil called cinnamaldehyde. It is an important component of cinnamon.
This aromatic spice, commonly found in everyone’s kitchen, is one of the oldest spices in the world.
Cinnamon bark undergoes processing which causes it to curl up and this form is called cinnamon sticks. It can be used as cinnamon sticks or it can be grinded to a powdered form. Its leaves are used to prepare cinnamon oil.
Now let’s see how blood sugar levels can be improved with the addition of cinnamon to your diet.
According to recent research, cinnamon intake by a diabetic can help him improve his blood sugar levels and for a non-diabetic, it can reduce the risk of diabetes. Here’s how…
Cinnamon has a compound named polyphenol hydroxy chalcone that increases the sensitivity of insulin and the catechins present in it reduces stress, this further decreases your blood sugar levels.
Cinnamon also inhibits the enzyme that aids the breakdown of complex carbohydrates into simple carbohydrates and thus lowers high blood sugar levels after meals.
Cinnamon contains phytochemicals that have anti-diabetic properties along with antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant properties.
Improvement in blood sugar levels further helps in preventing the complications of diabetes.
Isn’t it amazing to know that just a pinch of spice can help you in managing diabetes in multiple ways? Since you now know that cinnamon is good for you, let’s move to see which type of cinnamon a diabetic must use…
Cinnamon is of two types Cinnamomum cassia and Cinnamomum zeylanicum.
Cinnamomum cassia is also known as Cassia cinnamon or Chinese cinnamon. It is thick, dark-brownish in colour, has a hollow centre and an intense-pungent aroma. It is cheap and so more commonly used around the world.
Cinnamon zeylanicum is also known as Ceylon cinnamon or true cinnamon. It is softer, lighter in colour, rolled tightly and has a sweet, more delicate flavour than cassia. It is expensive and thus, less commonly used.
Now you must be wondering, which one you should use and which one you shouldn’t… right? Well, I hope you know that we won’t let you go empty-handed and so here is the answer…
Ceylon cinnamon is better than cassia cinnamon for a diabetic.
Let me tell you why it is so?
Both kinds contain coumarin which is a chemical compound that imparts flavour. It is beneficial up to some extent but harmful when taken in excess.
Cassia cinnamon has 1200 times more coumarin present in it than Ceylon cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon has negligible amounts of cinnamon in it. So, it is the best cinnamon for diabetes.
Excess of coumarin can cause liver and kidney damage and can also cause cancer of the lungs. So either opt for Ceylon cinnamon or have Cassia cinnamon in limited quantities.
Are you thinking of how much cinnamon you can safely consume? Continue reading to know the answer…
Cinnamon can safely be consumed up to 3–4 grams per day.
But you must avoid taking more than that as if it exceeds, then it can lead to the following health problems:
- Irritation in lips and mouth
- Breathing issues and lung problems
- Irritation in throat
- Premature labour
- Increased heart rate
- Liver disease
- Kidney damage
Cinnamon can be easily available in a nearby departmental store or on online websites as well. Buy it and start adding it to your diet if you are not using it.
If you’re wondering, “how to use cinnamon for diabetes?”…. here are some best ways to consume cinnamon for diabetes:
- Substitute your sugar with cinnamon: Add a pinch of cinnamon powder to your milk or tea or some dessert instead of sugar.
- Herbal teas: prepare herbal teas like ginger (adrak) cinnamon tea, basil (tulsi) cinnamon tea, or masala tea. Even cinnamon tea (cinnamon powder boiled in water) is good for diabetes.
- Add in your main meals: Add it in your pulavs, biryanis, dals, and curries.
- Use it as a dressing: Over different salads.
Having understood cinnamon and its effect on your blood sugar levels, let’s discuss some more health benefits of cinnamon so that you can treat other medical conditions as well.
Here is the list of all the other health benefits that cinnamon can provide you with:
1. Cinnamon and weight loss
The effect on blood glucose levels can lead to weight loss.
Cinnamon alone cannot help achieve your weight goals but it can be beneficial to add cinnamon to your food and then work on your diet and exercise to reduce weight.
One teaspoon of cinnamon contains 1.6 grams of fibre, which helps in increasing fibre intake and provides a feeling of satiety.
2. High source of antioxidants
Cinnamon is a power pack of antioxidants that slows down the ageing process.
Cinnamon contains polyphenols, phenolic acid, and flavonoids that are also found in other “superfoods” including berries, red wine, and dark chocolate.
3. Protects heart health
Cinnamon reduces cholesterol, blood pressure, and triglyceride levels that in turn reduces heart disease risk.
The special compounds in cinnamon reduce total cholesterol, bad (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides, and stabilize good (HDL) cholesterol.
Cinnamon has also been shown to reduce high blood pressure and prevent blood clot formation which is another threat for causing heart disease or a stroke.
4. Rich in nutrients
Cinnamon contains:
- Fibre
- Potassium
- Iron
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B6
Thus adding cinnamon to your diet can help you in meeting your nutritional needs to a small extent along with multiple other benefits.
5. Builds immunity
As mentioned earlier, cinnamon has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help to build immunity by removing free radicals from your body. Free radicals cause chronic diseases and increase the ageing process.
Cinnamon also possesses antimicrobial properties that mean it helps to fight various infections attacking our body. Hence, help in developing immunity.
6. Reduces inflammation
Cinnamon also has anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is swelling or redness and cinnamon tend to reduce that. This means that cinnamon can help in reducing your joint pains.
It still seems unbelievable that just 3–4 grams of cinnamon per day can improve your body’s health status. But it’s true and so you must start sprinkling cinnamon powder over your food to make it healthy and tasty.
Before moving on, I would like to throw some light on one more important thing that you must know about cinnamon and that is, cinnamon can interact with some drugs (medicines) just like most food items. Let’s read about it…
Before adding cinnamon to your meal, it is essential for you to know that cinnamon can have some interactions with certain drugs. But we can’t completely rely on it as more research is still required to prove it practically.
Here is a list of some drug types which might have an interaction with cinnamon:
1. Blood thinner medications
Cinnamon has the property of blood thinning. So if you’re already taking a blood-thinning medication, then cinnamon intake must be limited to 3–4 grams per day.
2. Antibiotics
Amongst so many health benefits that cinnamon provides, it also acts as an antibiotic so if you’re already taking an antibiotic, make sure to limit intake to cinnamon.
3. Anti-diabetic drugs
You clearly know that cinnamon reduces high blood sugar levels. Make sure to keep a trend of your blood sugars so that if it gets less than normal (low), you can limit cinnamon. This way, it will not further affect your blood sugars. Also, make sure to discuss low sugar episodes (hypoglycemia) with your Doctor.
Now that you know how cinnamon is such a useful spice do include 3–4 grams of cinnamon per day for a healthy and fit body.
Regular and moderate intake of cinnamon is a great solution for managing high blood sugar levels and reducing body weight along with other benefits. If you’re looking for diabetes treatment, Zyla can help you with it.
Zyla aims to provide personalized care and treatment to manage your diabetes and other health conditions like overweight/ obesity, high BP, high cholesterol, etc with a team of 50+ endocrinologists, nutritionists, physiotherapists, and psychologists.
Download the Zyla app now and start your health journey today!
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