Cinnamon and Diabetes

Cinnamon and diabetes is described here so you know how to help yourself a little better. It is a debatable topic. Many naturalists proclaim the benefit of cinnamon. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) says that cinnamon has no place in diabetes treatment. We will look at both sides of the issue.

Cinnamon is historically a medicine. It has its roots in ancient Egypt, China and India as a culinary and medicinal spice. There are two types of cinnamon. They are:

• Ceylon cinnamon grown in South America, Southeast Asia and the West Indies.
• Cassia cinnamon grown in Central America, China, and Indonesia.

They both come from the bark of evergreen trees. Cassia cinnamon is sold in the United States.

A Small Study

The journal Diabetes Care in 2003, reported the results of a study with 60 people with type 2 diabetes. The participants were in four groups. Three groups received either 1, 3, or 6 grams of cassia cinnamon for 40 days. The control group received a placebo.

No significant changes in blood glucose occurred in the placebo group.

There are three things to keep in mind.

1. It was a small study with only 60 participants.
2. It was a short-term study. There are no long-term studies.
3. It only tested type 2 diabetes and not type 1 diabetes.

There are those who say that there is not enough evidence to support a recommendation.

Caution Is Advised

If you read some of the information listed on Google, you would swear that cinnamon and diabetes is a good thing. If you use cinnamon, you will lower your blood sugar levels. But, both the Mayo Clinic and Web MD say there is no evidence to support the claim that cinnamon can lower your blood glucose levels.

Cinnamon can be classified as a natural cure for diabetes. Because of the word “natural”, people assume that it is good and beneficial. This is not necessarily true.

If you want to experiment with a small amount of cinnamon on your cereal and in some tea, please keep accurate blood glucose records and a food guide also. It is the only way you can tell if cinnamon is helping to lower your blood glucose levels. Unless you are willing to do the record keeping, you probably should not experiment with cinnamon. When all else fails, talk to your doctor.

Type 2 Diabetes Diets

These type 2 diabetes diets divide food into six groups (according to the ADA):

• Grains and starches
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Milk and dairy
• Meat and meat substitutes
• Fats, Sweets, and Alcohol

These groups or sections on the pyramid vary in size. The largest group – grains, beans, and starchy vegetables – is on the bottom of the food pyramid. This means you should eat more of these than the other groups.

The smallest group – fats, sweets, and alcohol – is at the top of food pyramid. This means eat very few servings of this group.

Consistent eating habits can help you control your blood sugar levels. Try every day to eat about the same amount at about the same time.

Plan a program that follows these guidelines:

Limit saturated and trans-fats. Curb dietary cholesterol. Eat fish twice a week.

Conclusion

We have discussed the cinnamon and diabetes link in detail. We explained the rudiments of type 2 diabetes diets. There is more detailed information on this web site under “Diabetes Food Guide”. Let us know if you have any questions or comments.

Margaret Stenerson
March 7, 2010