For centuries, the bark of the cinnamon plant has been used as both a food and a medicine. Known for its warm, spicy aroma, cinnamon a popular flavoring agent in desserts and beverages. Ground cinnamon bark may also be compressed to form tablets, which are sold as nutritional supplements and holistic medicine. Although scientific evidence is limited, cinnamon may offer several health benefits, particularly to people with diabetes and high cholesterol. Consult your health-care provider before using cinnamon tablets.
Diabetes Management
Alternative health-care providers widely recommend cinnamon tablets for the holistic management of type 2 diabetes. According to a well-publicized 2003 study, published in the medical journal Diabetes Care, cinnamon tablets successfully reduced blood glucose levels in 40 men and women taking the supplement, while 20 patients taking a placebo experienced no improvements. The authors of the study documented blood sugar improvements in patients taking 1, 3 or 6g of cinnamon each day. Although these findings are encouraging, they are inconclusive. Larger-scale studies are needed to prove cinnamon's efficacy as a diabetes treatment.
Cholesterol Reduction
The Diabetes Care study determined that cinnamon can also reduce levels of total cholesterol and LDL, or "bad," cholesterol. People taking cinnamon supplements also experienced a reduction in levels of triglycerides, or fat in the blood. These findings are promising, because high cholesterol is a major risk factor for more serious forms of heart disease. Mayo Clinic cardiologist Thomas Behrenbeck additionally suggests that cinnamon can also help flavor food without increasing the amount of fat or sugar in the meal. However, he says that there is little evidence to support cinnamon's cholesterol-lowering effects, and he emphasizes the use of a healthy lifestyle as the primary treatment for high cholesterol.
General Nutrition
Aside from its medicinal uses, cinnamon offers a broad spectrum of naturally occurring micronutrients, or vitamin and minerals. According to NutritionData, cinnamon is a "good" source of iron and vitamin K, and it is a "very good" source of calcium and manganese. Cinnamon tablets also contain large amounts of dietary fiber, which is essential for normal digestion and for stabilizing cholesterol levels. Cinnamon tablets are very low in sugar and fat, and they contain no trans fat or cholesterol. Consider taking cinnamon tablets if your health-care provider has suggested that you increase your intake of these nutrients.
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