Cinnamon is a spice that is usually used in several dishes. Not just for food, it can also be a good ingredient to treat diabetes. But is cinnamon good for diabetes? Let’s find out.
Cinnamon is of two kinds. One is Ceylon and the other is Cassia. Cassia is the one that we all know and use as a spice. And Ceylon is the true form of cinnamon. Both are good for your health. But you need to know how you need to take it.
To know more information about it, you should know all about cinnamon and its benefits as well as its side effects. So, let’s get started!
What Is Cinnamon?
Cinnamon is mainly a spice that is obtained from the inner bark of a lot of varieties of species from the Cinnamomum genus. Cinnamon is mainly used to add aromatic smell and flavoring additives in several dishes, sweets, breakfasts, snack foods, cereals, tea, and a lot of cuisines like traditional food as well.
It is not only used to add a massive change in the taste of the food but also used as a herbal ingredient to provide some health benefits. Cinnamon has been used for its medical benefits for thousands of years. Even modern science also admits the benefits that it provides to the people.
Health Benefits of Cinnamon
If we talk about health benefits, it has many. You can get a lot of benefits that can solve your health problems. Also, it is good for your hair, skin, and blood too. And for diabetes, it works like a miracle.
StrictionD is one of the best supplements to treat diabetes. But if you don’t want to take any supplement, you can use a certain amount of cinnamon to ease diabetes.
Anti-inflammatory Properties
Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties that can be beneficial for your health. It helps the body to repair the tissue damage. Also, it is useful for regard. It can also fight against infections that are a must when you have diabetes.
Besides, having inflammation problems can be chronic if you have diabetes. In that case, cinnamon can be the potential ingredient.
Improves Sensitivity to The Hormone Insulin
Insulin is one of the most important key hormones that can keep the energy level and metabolism normal. It also helps to transport blood sugar from the bloodstream. That is how the blood sugar level is also maintained.
There are a lot of people who have insulin resistance. In that case, many people are resistant to insulin. Cinnamon can be effective to reduce insulin resistance.
Deals With Cancer
The biggest benefit is that cinnamon deals with cancer. As cancer is a serious disease, cinnamon works great in cancer prevention. It has the potential to prevent and treat cancer. It can reduce the growth of cells of cancer and the blood vessels formation of tumors.
Cinnamon is a potential element that can detoxify the enzymes of colon cancer. So, it can also be treated well by using cinnamon.
Antioxidants
Cinnamon also has antioxidants that can protect your body from any damage like the oxidative ones that is caused because of free radicals.
Cinnamon has polyphenols that are powerful antioxidants. Above all the 26 spices that have antioxidants, cinnamon is the greatest one of all.
Fight With HIV Virus
To fight HIV, cinnamon can be a good treatment. HIV is a virus that can break your immune system in a slow process. And that can cause AIDS if it is not treated well.
That is the reason, cinnamon has Cassia varieties. And it can help to treat HIV-1. It is proven that cinnamon is the most effective treatment of all 69 medical plants.
Eliminate The Risk of Heart Disease
Cinnamon also works best for heart diseases. It can reduce the risk of heart disease that is the cause of premature death. Besides, it reduces cholesterol levels like bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
At the same time, it is good for maintaining good cholesterol. It also helps a lot to decrease blood pressure. If you have type 2 diabetes, you can have around 1 teaspoon of cinnamon per day and you can see the benefits.
And all these things help you a lot to cut your risk of having heart disease.
Powerful Medicinal Properties
Cinnamon also has some medicinal properties that are effective for diabetic patients. It is a common spice that is known as Cinnamomum. Cinnamon is cheap nowadays so you can see how it works.
Two main ingredients are available in cinnamon. One is Ceylon cinnamon that is known as TRUE cinnamon. And the other is called Cassia cinnamon. It is the common one that people generally use as a spice.
These two are beneficial for reducing the problems that you can have with diabetes. It can bring out metabolism and health.
Beneficial Effects on Neurodegenerative Diseases
Cinnamon is also beneficial for its characteristics and ingredients. Neurodegenerative diseases are the loss of structure of the brain cells. The two common types are Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Moreover, cinnamon helps to protect neurons. At the same time, it is beneficial to normalize neurotransmitter levels to improve the function of the motor.
Helps To Fight Bacterial and Fungal Infections
When you have diabetes, you might have some fungal and bacterial infections. Cinnamon has Cinnamaldehyde that helps to fight against it. Besides, cinnamon has oil that can treat respiratory tract infections well.
Lowers Blood Sugar Levels
Cinnamon works great to reduce blood sugar levels in a fast way. It has blood sugar lowering properties that can decrease and control blood sugar levels. You need to take 1-6 grams or 0.5-2 teaspoons of cinnamon per day and see the effects.
Comparison Between Ceylon and Cassia
Ceylon and Cassia both are cinnamon. If you want to know the difference between these two, you should know that Ceylon is healthier than the other one. Cassia is the common one that everyone uses and that can be found in any supermarket.
Ceylon is a milder version of Cassia. It can reduce blood sugar levels in diabetes. Not just that, it can also improve cholesterol and give you ease if you have arthritis. It is better than Cassia for diabetes.
Side Effects of Having Too Much Cinnamon
Having too much cinnamon can be dangerous. It can bring a lot of side effects that you can never imagine. That is why you should be careful while taking cinnamon as a treatment for diabetes.
Cinnamon is a spice that is made from the inner bark of the cinnamon tree. There are two kinds of cinnamon. One is Cassia, which is the regular one we all know. And the other one is Ceylon that is known as TRUE cinnamon. It is less bitter. See the side effects of both cinnamon in detail.
Increase The Risk of Cancer
Animal studies found that if you eat too much coumarin, it may increase the risk of specific cancers. The reason is it can develop tumors in the liver, lungs, and kidneys. Also, it causes DNA damage that can also be a reason.
Cause Low Blood Sugar
If you have chronic high blood sugar, it can be a serious issue. If you don’t treat it well, it can cause heart disease, diabetes, and several other problems. Studies show that cinnamon may mimic the effects of insulin. That is why it helps to remove sugar from the blood. Eating cinnamon in a certain amount can help you with this.
But if you eat too much of it, it may cause hypoglycemia. You will feel dizzy, and tired. It can also increase the effects of medicines of low blood sugar. That’s how it can make your blood sugar too low.
May Interact with Certain Medications
Cinnamon is a great ingredient if you take it in a certain amount. But taking it too much may create an issue. And increasing the effects of medications is one of them.
If you are taking medicines for diabetes, liver disease, or heart disease, you should not take too much cinnamon as it can intensify the side effects.
Liver Damage
Taking too much cinnamon can cause liver damage too. Cassia or regular cinnamon has a lot of coumarins. If you take Cassia cinnamon, you need to take it in a specific amount.
The tolerant amount of coumarin is 0.05 mg/pound (0.1 mg/kg) of the weight of the body and 5 mg per day for a 130-pound person. Studies show that eating too much cinnamon may cause liver damage and toxicity.
Breathing Problems
The most annoying and suffocating thing is eating too much cinnamon can cause breathing problems. The reason is it has a fine texture that is easy to inhale. While doing it, if you accidentally inhale it too much, it may cause gagging, coughing, and difficulty when you try to catch your breath.
Mouth Sores
You can also have mouth sores by having a lot of cinnamon. It has cinnamaldehyde that can cause an allergic reaction. You can also face an itching or burning sensation, gum and tongue swelling, white patches in your mouth, and more.
Besides, if you have too much cinnamon oil or cinnamon-flavored chewing gums, this can cause you mouth sores as well as it contains more cinnamaldehyde. Also read, Nerve renew help to treat diabetic neuropathy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is it OK for diabetics to eat cinnamon?
Cinnamon is a good element that is safe for diabetic people. But if you have liver disease, you need to avoid it or eat a certain amount.
2. What type of cinnamon is best for type 2 diabetes?
Cassia cinnamon is better to improve cholesterol levels and blood glucose. It’s better for those who have type 2 diabetes.
3. Can I take cinnamon with metformin?
There are no interactions found between cinnamon and metformin. That means there is no interaction between these two elements. So, you can take these two together but you must consult your doctor first.
4. Is cinnamon bad for kidneys?
Cinnamon has side effects on the morphology and physiology of healthy kidneys. So, you can use cinnamon as it is safe.
Wrap Up
To conclude, cinnamon is a good element to get rid of the symptoms of diabetes and fight it. Check the details about “Is cinnamon good for diabetes?” and then decide if you want to take it or not.
Also, be careful about the side effects of it to ensure that you don’t take too much of it. The reason is it may cause a lot of trouble to your body.
Use cinnamon in a certain amount and then experience the benefits.
