Cinnamon - what are the benefits for insulin sensitivity

I have been taking a teaspoon of real cinnamon daily for around 18 months. My HBA1c has fallen from 53 to 40 during this period. The cinnamon is taken as part of a very low carb diet and I exercise daily. I stopped taking the cinnamon for a month in the spring and my BS went up a little (average 6.3 to 6.5). It went down again when I restarted the daily dose. It wasn't a proper clinical trial of course and the fall wasn't very great, but it was there, so I intend to continue with the cinnamon. I don't think it's a miracle cure for T2, but it seems to be one of many things which help a bit. Collectively, all the changes I have made have enabled me to get my BG back into the normal range. I hope that helps to answer your question.

 

Sorry for the delay in replying, I've been away. I just take it in water. You do need to be careful though. The powder is very fine and it's important not to breath in the dry powder as it can scar your lungs. I add it to a small amount of water and then stir it slowly until it is dissolved. It takes a while to dissolve. You know when it has as it turns a much darker brown. The taste isn't great, but I think it's worth it.

 

My husband makes cinnamon tea for his blood pressure using the sticks . I might try a cup for my T2 now I have read this I take karela, but wonder if cinnamon would be better .

 

I love cinnamon but cannot have it raw as I get a mild allergic reaction in my lips. Fortunately I eat lots of curries and tagines. On the rare occasions that I have porridge I always add cinnamon before cooking. I do not know if it reduces my blood sugars but it definitely spices up my life!

 

I have cinnamon on my morning flaxseed and chia porridge, it improves the taste.
I buy 'real' cinnamon when possible as cassia is easy to overdose on, but some well known brands do not identify which version they use.

 

Cinnamon's actually known as a blood thinner.

I've always used cinnamon in my cooking, and more recently as a tea. I like it but I've used from years before I was ever diagnosed with T2, so I have no evidence that it has helped in any way.

However - found in Wkipedia entry for Cinnamon:
Khan A, Safdar M, Ali Khan MM, Khattak KN, Anderson RA (2003). "Cinnamon improves glucose and lipids of people with type 2 diabetes". Diabetes Care. 26(12): 3215–3218.

And as a point of interest I've seen claims that cassia has been more beneficial than Ceylon cinnamon in this respect, which is the opposite to what is generally claimed. However it also contains coumarin which can apparently be toxic in high doses, which will be what @TriciaWs was referring to?

I've sometimes had issues with it if I've over indulged slightly as it's often caused me nosebleeds in conjunction with high blood pressure.

Robbity

@Saur you also asked about other herbs & spices too:

In general I use a variety of both, in cooking/meal preparation for their flavours and if they have benefits (e;g parsley as a source of iron) then it's simply a bonus for me.

Re other spices, turmeric is also claimed to be befneficial, but again I have no evidence as it's something I've always used in cooking, and again as a tea - Pukka Turmeric Gold is one of my favourite "herb" teas. But be a bit careful wirh turmeric as its bright yellow is great for staining things (e;g; kitchen worktops) and can be difficult to remove!