Diabetes is a disease characterized by abnormally high blood sugar levels.

If it is poorly controlled, it can lead to complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, and nervous system damage.

Diabetes treatment often includes medications and insulin injections, but many people also choose to choose foods that can help lower blood sugar.

An example of this type of food is cinnamon, a commonly used spice that is added to sweet and savory dishes worldwide.

It provides many health benefits, including the ability to lower blood sugar and help control diabetes.

This article goes into everything you need to know about cinnamon and its effects on blood sugar control and diabetes.

What is cinnamon?

Cinnamon is an aromatic spice derived from the bark of several Cinnamomum tree species .

Although cinnamon rolls can be used as a topping on breakfast cereals, their main use has actually been applied for thousands of years in traditional medicine and to preserve food.

Cinnamon is obtained by removing the inner bark of Cinnamomum trees.

Then, the removed bark is subjected to a drying process, which causes it to curl up and produce cinnamon sticks or rolls, which can be processed into powdered cinnamon.

Different varieties of cinnamon are sold in the US, and they generally fall into two types:

• Ceylon: Also called “true cinnamon,” it is the most expensive type.
• Cassia: It is less expensive and is found in most food products that contain cinnamon.

Although both types are sold as cinnamon, there are important differences, which will be discussed later in this article.

Summary: Cinnamon is obtained from the dried bark of Cinnamomum trees, and is generally classified into two varieties.

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Contains antioxidants that provide many health benefits

A quick look at the nutritional effects of cinnamon might not convince you that the spice is a superfood.

While it doesn’t contain a huge amount of vitamins or minerals, it does contain large amounts of antioxidants, which have many health benefits.

In fact, a group of scientists compared the antioxidant content of 26 different herbs and spices and concluded that cinnamon had the second highest amount of antioxidants among them (after cloves).

Antioxidants are important because they help the body reduce oxidative stress, a type of damage to cells caused by free radicals.

One study showed that consuming 500 mg of cinnamon extract daily for 12 weeks decreased a marker of oxidative stress by 14% in adults with prediabetes.

This is significant, since oxidative stress has been implicated in the development of almost all chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes.

 Summary: Cinnamon doesn’t contain many vitamins or minerals, but it is loaded with antioxidants that decrease oxidative stress. This can be a powerful protection against diabetes.

To learn more about the basic function of antioxidants, visit the article How do antioxidant foods work?

May mimic insulin and increase insulin sensitivity

In people with diabetes, the pancreas cannot make enough insulin, or the cells do not respond to insulin correctly, leading to high blood sugar levels.

Cinnamon can help lower blood sugar and fight diabetes by mimicking the effects of insulin, and promotes the transport of glucose into cells.

It can also help lower blood sugar by increasing insulin sensitivity, making insulin more efficient at moving glucose into cells.

A study in seven men showed that cinnamon increased insulin sensitivity immediately after consumption, the effect lasting for at least 12 hours.

In another study, eight men also showed increases in insulin sensitivity after two weeks of using cinnamon supplements.

[su_note note_color=”#fdfeca”] Summary: Cinnamon may lower blood sugar by mimicking inulin, promoting insulin’s ability to transport blood sugar into cells.[/su_note]

For more information on how insulin-deficient diabetes develops and how it differs from insulin-resistant diabetes, visit Insulin and Insulin Resistance – The Complete Guide .

Lowers fasting blood sugar and may lower hemoglobin A1c

Several controlled studies have shown that cinnamon is an excellent choice for lowering fasting blood sugar.

A review in 543 people with type 2 diabetes found that consuming cinnamon was associated with an average decrease of more than 24 mg/dL (1.33 mmol/L).

Although the results of these studies are fairly clear, studies investigating the effects of cinnamon on hemoglobin A1c, which is a measure of long-term control of blood sugar, have produced conflicting results.

Some studies report significant decreases in hemoglobin A1c, while others report no effect.

Conflicting results may be partly caused by different amounts of cinnamon administered or lack of prior control of participants’ blood sugar.

Summary: Cinnamon shows some promise in lowering blood sugar. However, its effects on hemoglobin A1c are less clear.

For more information on the benefits of cinnamon, do not miss the article 10 properties of cinnamon that you do not know .

Lowers blood sugar levels after meals

Depending on the amount of food and carbohydrates you eat, blood sugar levels can rise sharply after eating.

These fluctuations in blood sugar can increase levels of oxidative stress and inflammation, which often do a lot of damage to the body’s cells and put you at risk for chronic disease.

Cinnamon can help keep these post-meal blood sugar spikes in check. Some researchers say this occurs because cinnamon slows the rate at which food passes from the stomach to the intestines.

One study found that after eating rice pudding without cinnamon, 1.2 teaspoons (6 grams) of cinnamon in a serving of rice pudding slowed gastric emptying and lowered high blood sugar levels.

Other studies suggest that it may lower blood sugar after meals by blocking digestive enzymes that break down carbohydrates in the small intestine.

Summary: Cinnamon may lower blood sugar after meals, possibly by slowing gastric emptying and blocking digestive enzymes.

We have prepared some tips to lower blood sugar levels, you can see them in the following article: How to lower blood sugar in 8 steps (scientifically proven) .

May lower risk of common diabetes complications

This spice does more than lower fasting blood sugar and lessen blood sugar spikes after meals.

It can also reduce the risk of common diabetes complications.

People with diabetes have twice the risk of heart disease than people without diabetes. Cinnamon may help reduce this risk by improving risk factors linked to heart disease.

A review of controlled studies in people with type 2 diabetes found that consuming cinnamon was associated with an average decrease in LDL (low-density lipoprotein) or “bad” cholesterol by 9.4 mg/dL (0.24 mmol/L ) and a decrease in triglycerides of 29.6 mg/dl Mmol/L).

An average increase of 1.7 mg/dl (0.044 mmol/L) in HDL (high-density lipoprotein) or “good” cholesterol was also reported.

In addition, another study found that supplementing with two grams of cinnamon for 12 weeks significantly lowered both systolic, or high (when the heart contracts) and diastolic, or low (when the heart relaxes to refill with energy) blood pressure. blood).

Interestingly, diabetes has also been linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, what’s more, many people now refer to Alzheimer’s disease as “type 3 diabetes”.

Some studies suggest that cinnamon extract may decrease the ability of two proteins — Œ≤-amyloid (beta-amyloid) and tau — to form plaques and tangles, which are generally linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

However, this research has only been completed in test tubes and animals. Further studies in humans are needed to confirm these findings.

Summary: Cinnamon may help reduce the risk of diabetes-related diseases, such as heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

When the holidays approach, people with diabetes often worry about the foods they can eat or not, in this article you will find some very useful tips, Infallible diet to face the holidays with diabetes .

Ceylon vs. Cassia: Which is better?

Cinnamon is generally grouped into two types: Ceylon and Cassia.

Cassia cinnamon can be derived from a few different species of Cinnamomum trees . It is generally inexpensive and found in most grocery stores and most spice stores.

Ceylon cinnamon, on the other hand, is specifically derived from the Cinnamomum Verum or cinnamon tree, known as cinnamon. It tends to be more expensive and less common than Cassia cinnamon, plus studies have shown that Ceylon cinnamon contains more antioxidants.

Because it contains more antioxidants, it is possible that Ceylon cinnamon may provide more health benefits.

However, while several animal and test tube studies have highlighted the benefits of Ceylon cinnamon, most studies demonstrating health benefits in humans have used the Cassia variety.

Summary: Both varieties of cinnamon probably lower blood sugar and fight diabetes, but human studies are still needed to confirm that the Ceylon type provides more benefits than the Cassia type .

Some people should be cautious with Cassia Cinnamon

Cassia cinnamon is not only lower in antioxidants compared to the Ceylon type, but it is also high in a potentially dangerous substance called coumarin, an organic substance found in many plants.

Several studies in mice have shown that coumarin can be toxic to the liver, leading to concerns that it can cause liver damage in humans as well.

Consequently, the European Food Safety Authority has set the tolerable daily intake for coumarin at 0.1 mg per kilogram of body weight (0.045 mg/pound).

Using average coumarin levels for Cassia cinnamon, this would equate to approximately one half teaspoon (2.5 grams) of Cassia cinnamon per day for a 165 pound (75 kg) individual.

As you can see, Cassia cinnamon is particularly high in coumarin, and you can easily consume more than the upper limit by taking Cassia cinnamon supplements or even eating large amounts of it in food.

However, Ceylon cinnamon contains a much lower amount of coumarin, and it would be difficult to consume more than the recommended amount of coumarin with this type of cinnamon.

Also, people with diabetes who are taking medication or insulin should be careful when adding cinnamon to their daily diet.

Integrating cinnamon when following any treatment for diabetes, can generate the risk of having very low levels of sugar in the blood, which is known as hypoglycemia.

Hypoglycemia is a life-threatening condition, and it is recommended to speak with a doctor about incorporating cinnamon into the treatment of diabetes.

Lastly, children, pregnant women, and others with extensive medical histories should talk to their doctors to see if the benefits of cinnamon outweigh the risks.

Summary: Cassia cinnamon is high in coumarin, which can cause liver damage. Additionally, people with diabetes should consider the risk of hypoglycemia when consuming large amounts of cinnamon.

How much cinnamon should be taken?

The benefits of cinnamon for lowering blood sugar have been well studied.

However, despite this, no consensus has been reached about how much cinnamon should be consumed to reap the benefits while avoiding the potential risks.

Studies have typically used recommendations of 1 to 6 grams per day, either as a supplement or as a powder added to food.

One study reported that blood sugar levels dropped by the same amount in people taking between 1, 3 and 6 grams daily.

Since people with smaller doses had the same benefits as larger doses, it may not be necessary to take large doses.

Additionally, a number of studies have shown that the coumarin content of Cassia cinnamon can vary. Therefore, it would be prudent not to exceed 0.5 to 1 gram of cinnamon per day to avoid exceeding the tolerable daily intake of coumarin.

For a greater degree of precaution it is advisable to opt for Ceylon cinnamon. Up to 1.2 teaspoons (6 grams) can be consumed daily, and thus is safe in terms of coumarin content.

Summary: It is advisable to limit the consumption of Cassia cinnamon to 0.5 to 1 gram per day. Ceylon cinnamon can be consumed in higher amounts, although it may not be necessary.

In conclusion

Many studies have shown that cinnamon has the ability to lower blood sugar and help control common complications of diabetes, among other health benefits.

If you want to take cinnamon supplements or add it to food to help lower blood sugar, it would be wise to use Ceylon cinnamon instead of Cassia cinnamon.

It may be more expensive, but Ceylon cinnamon contains more antioxidants and lower amounts of coumarin, which can cause liver damage.

It is best not to exceed 0.5 to 1 gram of Cassia daily, but it is safe to take up to 1.2 teaspoons (6 grams) of Ceylon cinnamon daily.