Cinnamon May be Helpful for Diabetics

Simple sugars from cane or beet sugar, corn syrup, molasses, honey and fruit juice should be avoided.  Whole fruits are better than fruit juice for diabetics since whole fruits contain much fiber and release their sugar into the bloodstream slowly over a several hour period.  By contrast, fruit juice has little fiber and its sugar is released quickly into the bloodstream.

Various plant foods may be helpful in controlling blood sugar.  One such food is cinnamon- obtained from the bark of an evergreen tree from Sri Lanka (Ceylon) called Cinnamomum zeylanicum.   Cinnamon is rich is phytochemicals which help the body control blood sugar.  A recent study found that diabetics given 250 milligrams of cinnamon extract daily had significantly lower fasting blood sugar and significantly better blood sugar control than diabetics given placebo. A good study of the effects of cinnamon in diabetics by Amy Otto is found in Current Diabetes Reports June 2010;170-2.   Cinnamon is also rich in anti-oxidant compounds.  Other studies have reported higher levels of blood anti-oxidants in people who eat cinnamon regularly.      

Cinnamon can be added to many dishes such as hot tea, chocolate drinks, fruit dishes (especially apple), vegetables, yogurt, meats, cereals and breads. On the negative side, cinnamon is often found in foods like desserts which contain a lot of sugar and white (refined) flour, which are not good for diabetics.