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Spice For Life: Cinnamon's Benefits Surpass Flavor

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 27, 2008

Winter is a perfect time for cinnamon, the common flavoring with uncommon benefits.

An ancient spice made from tree bark, cinnamon is almost universally appealing thanks to its aroma and flavor. It has been a culinary partner in both sweet and savory cooking for thousands of years. Research indicates that cinnamon may positively affect blood sugar and cholesterol.

It's too early to know whether doctors will someday prescribe a trip to the spice aisle instead of the pharmacy, but the findings can inspire great table talk.

Consider these points:

Lowers blood sugar. Cinnamon is everywhere - in cookies, cake, cider - even savory dishes. That abundance may turn out to be a good thing, say researchers who have seen encouraging results in the spice's potential to lower blood sugar levels. But there have also been studies that show no benefit at all.

"The confusion comes because cinnamon is best for lowering glucose when eaten with meals," says James O'Keefe, director of the Preventive Cardiology Fellowship at St. Luke's Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Mo. Some researchers think the more uncontrolled your blood sugar is, the bigger cinnamon's benefits may be.

May help reduce inflammation: Richard Anderson, a nutrition scientist at the USDA, led a number of studies in which cinnamon was found to lower blood sugar levels. Anderson also thinks the aromatic spice has "potential to significantly affect any inflammatory disease," including heart disease, asthma and arthritis.

The bottom line, says O'Keefe, is that "cinnamon is natural, inexpensive and a powerful antioxidant. It is not a substitute for medication, but as an adjunct to a good diet and exercise, it may help."

Simple diet boost. It's easy to add cinnamon. Sprinkle it over cereal, stir it into coffee or hot chocolate, shake it over popcorn or sweet/hot snack mixes, boil sticks to make cinnamon tea or stir it into yogurt

More is not better: In higher amounts, the body may deactivate some of cinnamon's healthful components. Also, read supplement labels carefully. Many of the compounds in cinnamon that are good for you are water-soluble and are not present in cinnamon oil-based supplements.

Better Homes and Gardens

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