VIDEO: Cinnamon to Treat Diabetes and Cholesterol

Taking just one gram of this spice every day can lower blood sugar by up to 20 percent

Transcript

This is Julian Whitaker, M.D., with a Whitaker Wellness Tip.

You know it spices up desserts and apple cider, but did you know that cinnamon contains potent compounds that improve insulin sensitivity and can lower blood sugar and lipids?

In a study published in Diabetes Care, researchers divided people with type 2 diabetes into groups and gave them varying amounts of cinnamon or placebo capsules for 40 days. They found that eating as little as one gram of cinnamon, which is less than half a teaspoon, lowered blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides by an average of—now get this—20 percent.

If you have diabetes or high cholesterol or triglycerides, I suggest adding one-half teaspoon of cinnamon to your daily diet. I'm doing this myself, just for prevention.

Don't use this as an excuse to pig out on cinnamon rolls. Instead, sprinkle ground cinnamon on your oatmeal or fruit or look for cinnamon supplements in your health food store.

This is Dr. Julian Whitaker assisting you in your personal quest for optimal health.

More Dr. Whitaker Advice on Diabetes

• How to plan a diabetic diet: do's and don'ts
• The diabetic diet: cinnamon
• How to treat type 2 diabetes naturally