Cinnamon and tea provide possible help in improving your cholesterol levels. But go easy on the honey. Added sugar of any kind in your diet may elevate your triglycerides and lower your heart-protective high-density lipoprotein -- HDL or "good" cholesterol. Cinnamon and tea will not likely cause harm, but use caution if you're sensitive to the effects of caffeine. And, for safety's sake, discuss all alternative treatments with your doctor before trying them.
Cinnamon
Several studies show a link between cinnamon consumption and lower cholesterol levels. One of them, conducted by Alam Khan and other researchers at NWFP University in Pakistan, added cinnamon to the diets of 30 men and 30 women with type 2 diabetes. Cinnamon helped lower participants' low-density lipoprotein -- LDL or "bad" cholesterol -- by 7 percent to 27 percent and their triglycerides by 23 percent to 30 percent, according to the report published in "Diabetes Care" in December 2003. Cinnamon also helped reduce fasting glucose levels by 18 percent to 29 percent.
Tea
Some evidence also suggests that tea, particularly green tea, may lower your cholesterol levels. X.X. Cheng and colleagues at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union College analyzed 14 green tea studies, collecting results from more than 1,100 participants. In all of the studies, Cheng found, green tea consumption considerably lowered total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, but did not affect HDL cholesterol, according to the report in "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in August 2011. In some of the studies, participants took green tea extract supplements instead of drinking green tea. Green tea extract may, in rare cases, cause liver damage, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Honey
Consuming honey and other forms of sugar may elevate your triglyceride levels and lower your HDL cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends limiting calories from added sugar to 5 percent to 10 percent of your daily total. On a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, this amounts to 100 to 200 calories. One tablespoon of honey contains 64 calories. One teaspoon of sugar contains 16 calories. The AHA also recommends you limit your fructose intake, including high-fructose corn syrup, to 50 g to 100 g a day. One can of soda contains more than a day's supply of fructose.
Considerations
To protect against developing cardiovascular disease, aim to keep your total cholesterol below 200 mg/dl -- milligrams per deciliter of blood -- and your LDL cholesterol below 130 mg/dl and and as low as 70 mg/dl if you face a high risk of heart disease. Keep your triglycerides below 150 mg/dl and your HDL cholesterol above 60 mg/dl. In addition to drinking cinnamon honey tea, follow a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat and sugar and high in fiber.
References
- "Diabetes Care"; Cinnamon Improves Glucose and Lipids of People With Type 2 Diabetes; A.Khan, et al.; December 2003
- "Nutrition"; Relationship Between Major Dietary Patterns and Metabolic Syndrome Among Individuals With Impaired Glucose Tolerance; M. Amini, et al.; October 2010
- American Heart Association; Diet, Lifestyle Changes Can Significantly Reduce Triglyceride; April 18, 2011
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Green Tea Intake Lowers Fasting Serum Total and LDL Cholesterol in Adults: A Meta-analysis of 14 Randomized Controlled Trials
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Herbs at a Glance -- Green Tea
- United States Department of Agriculture Nutrition Database
