People in the past used herbs and spices to add flavor to the food. They soon learned that some of the spices and herbs have health benefits, and scientists of today are looking more into it to verify these claims.
For instance, a new study found that cinnamon may improve blood sugar control among prediabetic people that could slow down their progress into having the condition of type 2 diabetes.
Study Shows Cinnamon Can Improve Blood Sugar on People With Prediabetes
Dr Giulio Romeo from Boston's Joslin Diabetes Center and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center said that their team is looking for a safe, cost-effective and durable way to reduce the progression of prediabetes to type 2 diabetes.
He added that their 12-week study, which involved 51 people with elevated blood sugar levels showed positive effects of adding cinnamon to their diet. These results add to the literature for longer and more extensive studies on identifying the effect of cinnamon on the risk of having type 2 diabetes over time.
Cinnamon and Its Health Benefits
Cinnamon is the inner bark of a tropical tree and has been used as Ayurvedic medicine for respiratory and digestive problems for many centuries now. In Egypt, they used cinnamon during the embalming process as a perfume. Meanwhile, it is used to mask the stench of burning flesh in funeral pyres by Romans.
There are two types of cinnamon: Ceylon and cassia. Ceylon is grown in Sri Lanka, while cassia is produced in China and has a stronger flavor and odor than Ceylon. Since cassia is much cheaper, it is what people tend to buy in grocery stores.
Past research shows that cassia has positive effects on blood sugar levels. In a study involving 18 people with type 2 diabetes, the researchers found that diet alone to lower the blood sugar levels is less effective compared to adding cassia into the diet. They even compared cassia's effects on oral diabetes medications.
Another study with 60 people with the same disease found that small doses of cassia can reduce blood sugar levels and improves the LDL, triglycerides and total cholesterol. However, other studies have failed to duplicate those results.
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For example, the 2012 review of 10 randomized controlled trials did not find sufficient evidence that proves the claim of previous researches that cinnamon may control blood sugars. This may be caused by the medications that the participants have taken to control their type 2 diabetes, Romeo said.
To address that concern, he and his teammates in South Korea focused on prediabetes patients who do not take any medications yet. They gave their participants in Boston and South Korea a 500-milligram capsule of cassia or a placebo three times a day for 12 weeks.
They found that blood sugar levels of those taking the pills with cassia does not go as high as the participants in the placebo group.
Cinnamon at Home
Experts say, adding cinnamon to the food will harm anyone with prediabetes. It may even be a good substitute for sugar, salt, and other spices that are not good for diabetic people.
However, they should be cautious to not use too much of it on the food or in capsules, since cassia cinnamon may contain high levels of coumarin that is bad for the liver. The FDA recommends limiting the intake of cinnamon to 6 grams a day or a tablespoon.
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