By: Jerry Finkel (Sterling)
The following is in response to last month’s article “Spice Rack Remedies”, which stated, without reservation, that “Taking less than a half teaspoon (of cinnamon) daily can decrease blood sugar by 25 percent”.
The article below is from WebMD, which provides a more complete and accurate account of the effect of cinnamon on reducing blood sugar level.
Does Cinnamon Help Diabetes?
It’s fine to sprinkle cinnamon on your oatmeal or use it in baking. Go ahead and enjoy it if you like its taste. But if you hope that it will help you manage your diabetes, you might want to pause before you head to your spice rack.
It’s not yet clear if cinnamon is good for diabetes. Research findings have been mixed, and the American Diabetes Association dismisses cinnamon’s use in diabetes treatment.
Several small studies have linked cinnamon to better blood sugar levels. Some of this work shows it may curb blood sugar by lowering insulin resistance.
In one study, volunteers ate from 1 to 6 grams of cinnamon for 40 days. (One gram of ground cinnamon is about half a teaspoon.) The researchers found that cinnamon cut cholesterol by about 18% and blood sugar levels by 24%. But in other studies, the spice did not lower blood sugar or cholesterol levels.
