More than 170 million people throughout the world suffer from diabetes and the number continues to climb. Could it be that many of these people could benefit from an easily accessible product such as cinnamon?
This spice, which most of us have in our kitchen, has been shown to have the power to cut blood sugar levels nearly as much as statin drugs!
The magic ingredient in cinnamon is believed to be a substance called MHCP. The MHCP is thought to be the reason cinnamon reignites the ability of fat cells in diabetics to respond to insulin and dramatically increase glucose removal.
In addition, two new studies reveal new evidence for the beneficial effects of cinnamon as an anti-inflammatory agent and support earlier research of its power as an anti-oxidant agent and an agent able to lower cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose, and improve the functioning of insulin.
However, before you run out and buy a case of cinnamon, keep the following in mind. Eating mouthfuls of cinnamon straight from the bottle may not be the best solution. Table cinnamon is not water soluble, which means it can build up in the body with unknown consequences.
Also, some of the beneficial qualities of cinnamon, such as lowering total cholesterol, only occurred by taking the capsule form. It is believed that a person’s saliva may have some harmful effects on cinnamon.
Do not despair; there are still plenty of benefits if you don’t have time to get cinnamon capsules. It is my guess that most of us will just use the cinnamon we have sitting in the cupboard.
Just a half a teaspoon a day is all you need to get the blood sugar reducing benefits. You can also get the effect by simply soaking a cinnamon stick in your next cup of tea.
While many type II diabetics are finding a great improvement in their health with cinnamon supplementation, the good news does not end with help for diabetes. Many non-diabetics are discovering the energy boosting properties of this wonderful spice and use cinnamon as a daily energy tonic.
There is also speculation by researchers that cinnamon can help people with pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is a disease were unusual amounts of insulin are produced by the pancreas in response to a cancer tumor. This causes insulin resistance in the cells and prevents the cell from getting glucose. In theory, researchers think cinnamon might help overcome this resistance.
Insulin resistance may also be involved in diseases such as Alzheimer’s according to some scientists. Studies are ongoing to test this theory.
The powers of cinnamon cannot be denied and its help for some diabetics and pre-diabetics has been nothing short of miraculous.
Of course, this does not mean to rush out and gorge on cinnamon rolls and cinnamon flavored pie. There is too much sugar in that diet. The best options are taking capsules or sprinkling a half teaspoon of cinnamon on what you normally would eat.
Don’t forget to inform your doctor before taking cinnamon as it might have interactions with other medications.
