Cinnamon may help support blood sugar management by increasing sensitivity to insulin, decreasing blood sugar levels after eating, and lowering the risk of complications related to diabetes.
Diabetes impairs the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, which can lead to long-term complications like kidney disease, nerve damage, and heart disease.
Treatment frequently includes insulin injections and medications. However, many people are also interested in foods that can help lower blood sugar. One such example is cinnamon, a spice commonly added to savory and sweet dishes worldwide.
It provides several health benefits, including the ability to help decrease blood sugar, which can help manage diabetes. There are some different cinnamon varieties you’ll find in grocery stores; however, they’re usually categorized into two different types:
• Ceylon: Additionally called true cinnamon, this type is the most expensive kind of cinnamon.
• Cassia: This type is found in most food products that contain cinnamon and is less expensive.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about cinnamon and the effect it has on diabetes and the management of blood sugar.
Cinnamon contains antioxidants that provide numerous health benefits
A quick glance at cinnamon’s nutritional facts may not make you believe it is frequently considered a “superfood.” But, while a single teaspoon doesn’t contain many minerals and vitamins, many recipes require more than that.
In higher quantities, it provides a significant dose of antioxidants. These contribute to several of cinnamon’s health benefits.
Antioxidants are critical because they help the body reduce oxidative stress, a type of cell damage caused by harmful free radicals. Oxidative stress has been linked to the development of almost every chronic disease, including type 2 diabetes.
It can imitate insulin, increasing insulin sensitivity.
In individuals with diabetes, either their pancreas can’t produce adequate insulin or cells don’t respond to insulin appropriately, leading to high blood sugar levels.
Cinnamon can help lower blood sugar by imitating insulin’s effects and helping to move sugar from the bloodstream into cells. It can also increase insulin sensitivity and make insulin more efficient at this task.
A study of 80 people with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) found that taking 1.5 grams of cinnamon powder each day for 12 weeks significantly reduced fasting insulin levels and improved sensitivity to insulin compared with a placebo.
Cinnamon lowers fasting blood sugar and can decrease hemoglobin A1c
Numerous studies suggest cinnamon may help to improve the management of blood sugar. For example, a 2019 systematic review of studies on individuals with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes concluded that cinnamon could significantly reduce fasting blood sugar levels and insulin resistance compared with a placebo.
Additionally, some studies have found cinnamon could also lower hemoglobin A1c, a measure of long-term blood sugar control.
A review in 2018 reported cinnamon could reduce hemoglobin A1c in individuals with type 2 diabetes by 0.27% to 0.83%. It also decreased fasting blood sugar levels by 52.2 mg per deciliter.
However, researchers additionally noted more studies are necessary to understand its effects.
Cinnamon shouldn’t be used instead of diet and lifestyle changes or medications to manage blood sugar levels.
Cinnamon lowers blood sugar following meals
Postprandial blood sugar references your blood sugar level after eating. Blood sugar levels can rise significantly after you eat, depending on the meal’s size and how many carbohydrates it contains.
These shifts in blood sugar can increase inflammation and oxidative stress, which can damage the body’s cells and contribute to chronic disease.
Cinnamon can assist in keeping these spikes in blood sugar after meals under control.
Some research suggests it does this by slowing down the rate at which food empties from the stomach. Other studies suggest it may decrease blood sugar after meals by blocking the digestive enzymes that break down carbohydrates.
Cinnamon may lower the risk of common complications of diabetes
In addition to supporting blood sugar management, cinnamon can also lower the risk of specific complications like stroke and heart disease.
A meta-analysis in 2020 found supplementing with a minimum of 2 grams of cinnamon daily could significantly lower diastolic and systolic blood pressure over eight weeks.
Additionally, diabetes has been increasingly linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease along with other types of dementia, with some individuals now referring to Alzheimer’s disease as type 3 diabetes. However, the classification of type 3 diabetes is very controversial and not widely accepted by the medical community.
Cassia vs. Ceylon: Which is better?
Cinnamon is typically grouped into two different types: Cassia and Ceylon.
Cassia cinnamon is derived from several different species of Cinnamomum trees. It is typically inexpensive and can be found in most food products and the grocery store’s spice aisle.
Conversely, Ceylon is explicitly derived from the Cinnamomum verum tree. It is typically more costly and less widely available; however, studies have shown it contains more antioxidants.
Due to this, it’s possible Ceylon cinnamon could offer additional health benefits.
Although numerous test-tube and animal studies have highlighted the benefits of Ceylon cinnamon, most studies that demonstrate cinnamon’s health benefits in humans have used the Cassia variety.
Who should avoid consuming cinnamon?
Cassia cinnamon is not only lower in antioxidants but also high in the possibly harmful substance coumarin, an organic substance found in many plants.
Several studies using rats have shown coumarin can be toxic to the liver when consumed in large doses, which leads to the concern it could cause damage to the liver as well.
Consequently, the European Food Safety Authority has set the tolerable daily intake for coumarin at 0.045 mg per pound or 0.1 mg per kilogram. Utilizing average coumarin levels for Cassia would equal around half a teaspoon of cinnamon daily for a 165-pound person.
In particular, Cassia cinnamon is high in coumarin, and you could easily consume over the upper limit by taking Cassia cinnamon supplements or ingesting significant amounts of it in foods.
However, Ceylon cinnamon contains much decreased amounts of coumarin, and it would be difficult to consume more than the recommended amount of coumarin with this type.
Keep in mind that limited information exists regarding the long-term safety of cinnamon supplements for pregnant or nursing women and children. In addition, people with diabetes who take insulin or medications should discuss this with a physician prior to adding cinnamon to their daily routine.
How much cinnamon should you take?
The benefits of cinnamon for lowering blood sugar are well-investigated. Despite this, there is no consensus on how much you should consume to receive the benefits while avoiding possible risks.
Most research has studied the effects of consuming 1 to 6 grams daily.
Keep in mind that the coumarin content in Cassia cinnamon can vary. That is why it could be best to stick to lower doses—0.5 to 1 gram of Cassia daily—to avoid exceeding the acceptable daily intake of coumarin.
Likewise, Ceylon cinnamon contains substantially less coumarin and can be ingested safely in higher doses.
Make sure you Consult with a doctor before adding cinnamon supplements to your daily routine. To avoid negative health effects, you might want to begin with a lower dose and work your way up.
So, what’s the bottom line?
Several studies have suggested cinnamon can help manage common diabetes complications and lower blood sugar levels, among other health benefits.
If you’d like to try a cinnamon supplement or add it to your meals to assist in lowering your blood sugar, it may be more beneficial to use Ceylon instead of Cassia. Although pricier, it contains more antioxidants and less possibly harmful coumarin.
It’s a good idea to consult with your doctor before adding significant cinnamon doses to your diet. If you have prediabetes or diabetes, you shouldn’t be used as a replacement for your medication.
