Benefit of Cinnamon

Blood Sugar Control – Several studies have found that Cinnamon has properties that help those with insulin resistance. It is therefore very popular with Type 2 diabetics who take it to control their blood sugar variations.

Ceylon Cinnamon is particularly popular because it has low levels of Coumarin. compared to Cassia Cinnamon found in your grocery store. In case you did not know, Coumarin in high doses can cause liver damage.

This study found Cassia Cinnamon was more effective than Ceylon Cinnamon at controlling blood sugar for a given amount of Cinnamon. An easy solution is to therefore double your dosage of Ceylon Cinnamon, since even doubling the dosage will not come close to the high Coumarin levels found in Cassia Cinnamon.

In another study Ceylon Cinnamon was found to have an effect on blood sugar control in a rat model. If you are taking Ceylon Cinnamon for diabetes, take it in moderation as part of a healthy program of diet, proper nutrition and moderate exercise.

Cinnamon

 

According to Paul David at UC Davis in this NPR story of 2013, Cinnamon has a 3-5% effect on blood sugar levels, similar to an older generation of diabetes drugs. That could make it an ideal option for pre diabetics. For severe Type 2 diabetics, whether you can take enough cinnamon to make a difference is a decision you should make in consultation with your doctor.
There is also some evidence that it is the Cinnamaldehyde component of Cinnamon (commonly found in Cinnamon Bark Oil) that seems to be effective for blood sugar control. This study found it the most effective compared to  berberine (Ber), and metformin (Met) at controlling blood sugar levels. Another study found Cinnamaldehyde from Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil (Cinnamomum Zeylanicum)  reduced plasma glucose concentration significantly (p<0.05) in a dose-dependent manner (63.29%).