[wzlcin]

What do you know about cinnamon? Is it myth that it helps to level out blood glucose? If not, how much? & when?

[princesslinda]

I put cinnamon in my tea or s/f hot chocolate, also in s/f puddings. You can buy cinnamon tablets at the health food stores, but they gave me "stomach burns."

Some say it works, some say it doesn't, you can try and see if it does for you....can't hurt anything, and tastes good. I just sprinkle it on top of anything I think it goes with.

[morrisma]

The debate gets more complicated the more you read. There are different types of cinnamon (china, ceylon, etc) and one is supposed to be "more effective" than the others so some research is required. While I add cinnamon to many things I eat, I do it for flavor, not effects but it is nice to think something as delicious as cinnamon might actually be helping.

IMHO, exercise will do way more for controlling those sugars than any supplement.
Mike

[Aurora96]

I figure it can't hurt. I put cinnamon on things when I can and do take supplements. My doctor said "Why not?"

[pdxdennisj]

The Cinnamon thing was started by one small study out of Asia.
Has been investigated and contradicted by others closer to home. Personally, I don't pay much attention to rumors or small studies, esp. if they don't come from organization with well established reputations.

[Scrabblechick]

Try it for a couple of weeks and see if it helps you. I think it helped my morning numbers and PP numbers. My endo pooh-poohs it, but hasn't told me to stop because it sure won't hurt me. Take one capsule after every meal and check your BG levels. If it helps, you're ahead of the game, if not, then you haven't hurt yourself, either.

[xMenace]

Originally Posted by pdxdennisj

The Cinnamon thing was started by one small study out of Asia.
Has been investigated and contradicted by others closer to home. Personally, I don't pay much attention to rumors or small studies, esp. if they don't come from organization with well established reputations.

I believe it was a Pakistani study with a supposed American lead (to add credibility?). Cinnamon Improves Glucose and Lipids of People With Type 2 Diabetes -- Khan et al. 26 (12): 3215 -- Diabetes Care IMO there's no evidence to support it or any other food or supplement. But if there are no side effects, why not indeed? As long as your sugars are good.


Cinnamon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Cinnamon" has been reported to have remarkable pharmacological effects in the treatment of type II diabetes and Insulin Resistance. However, the plant material used in the study was most from cassia and only few of them are truly from Cinnamomum zeylanicum (see cassia's medicinal uses for more information about its health benefits).[8], [9]. Recent advancement in phytochemistry has shown that it is a cinnamtannin B1 isolated from C. zeylanicum, which is of theraputic effect on type II diabetes [10] with the exception for the postmenopausal patients studied on C. cassia [11]. Cinnamon has traditionally been used to treat toothache and fight bad breath and its regular use is believed to stave off common cold and aid digestion.[12]

[Janlaton]

Only thing for sure cinnamon does give a sweet taste when added to foods. I add it and do not get as many cravings for sweets. If I go long periods without any cinnamoy I start craving sugar. It is also a diruetic. Either way if it helps me not eat sugar that's a help in controlling because I just have to worry about "good" carbs. On those days of fluid retention a hot drink strong in cinnamon can take care of that as well!

Whether it astually is metabolic or not who knows?

[jackmcmanus21]

this is good news...I love cinnamon everything

[owlyn]

I think that rumor was started by the International Cinnamon Producers Association. It's never done anything for me except taste good.

[shake_sugaree]

Originally Posted by owlyn

I think that rumor was started by the International Cinnamon Producers Association. It's never done anything for me except taste good.

Originally Posted by morrisma

The debate gets more complicated the more you read. There are different types of cinnamon (china, ceylon, etc) and one is supposed to be "more effective" than the others so some research is required...

hm. You are right! Quite a hullabaloo over this issue, but as best I can ascertain from the first two sites that Google-up: here and here, it would seem:

1. "Cassia" is mostly what's sold as cinnamon in U.S. supermarkets.

2. "Ceylon cinnamon" -- true cinnamon -- has less coumarin (supposedly a bad ingredient!) than the Chinese, Vietnamese, and Indonesian cassia?

3. Ceylon cinnamon is incredibly expensive!

I'm thinking about giving the Ceylon a "go"... (I just observed the label on the cinnamon capsules I've been taking for months reads cinnamomum cassia.)

[Janlaton]

UUH folks, I just went back and reread my post above. I think I better proof read more ofter. Hope you could figure out what I was trying to say!!!!

[Patc]

Morrisma you are absolutly correct

1.Real Cinnamon is called Ceylon Cinnamon.(The sientific name is Cinnamomum Zeylanicum)

2.Only a very few in the US know that they have been eating Cassia all these years.

3.Cassia has a chemical called coumarin which could be toxic.

Please click the below link to read more

BfR - Selected Questions about coumarin in cinnamon and other foods

[Janlaton]

Did check your link, made sure I had the right type of cinamon and tried the 2 a day as suggested. No change in my numbers.

[twyggers]

My Bro in Law is a type 2 and swears by cinnamon AND Sage AND Cloves AND Garlic. Jeesh his breath is either sweet or paint-stripping bad!!! However, lately without him changing his diet his fasting numbers have been WAY low!! He has to keep glucose tablets on his nightstand cos some mornings his numbers are in the 60's. He also swears that a couple of beers causes his bllod sugar to drop quickly as well. Go figure!!