2022/06/14
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Hypoglycemia is a disease characterized by abnormally high blood sugar that, if poorly controlled, can lead to complications such as heart disease, kidney disease and nerve damage.
Treatment often includes medications and insulin injections, but many people are also interested in foods that can help lower blood sugar.
One example is cinnamon, a commonly used spice added to sweet and savory dishes around the world.
It provides many health benefits, including the ability to lower blood sugar and help manage diabetes.
Cinnamon benefits for diabetics
Eating cinnamon lowers fasting blood sugar and may lower hemoglobin A1c
Several controlled studies have shown cinnamon to be excellent at reducing fasting blood sugar, and one review of 543 people with type 2 diabetes found that eating it was associated with an average decrease of more than 24 mg/dL.
While the results of this study are pretty clear, studies looking at its effects on hemoglobin A1c, a measure of long-term blood sugar control, have produced conflicting results.
Some studies report a significant decrease in hemoglobin A1c, while others report no effect.
The conflicting results may be explained in part by differences in the amount of cinnamon given and the participants’ prior glycemic control.
May reduce the risk of common diabetes complications
This spice does more than lower blood sugar during fasting and reduce spikes in blood sugar following meals.
Eating cinnamon reduces the risk of common complications of diabetes
People with diabetes are at twice the risk of heart disease as people without diabetes. Cinnamon may help reduce this risk by improving specific risk factors for heart disease.
A review of controlled studies of people with type 2 diabetes found that eating cinnamon was associated with an average decrease in “bad” LDL cholesterol.
Furthermore, another study found that taking two grams of cinnamon for 12 weeks significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Interestingly, diabetes has been increasingly implicated in the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, with many people now referring to Alzheimer’s disease as “type 3 diabetes”.
Studies show that cinnamon extract may reduce the ability of two proteins — beta-amyloid and tau — to form plaques and tangles, which are routinely linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Cinnamon lowers blood sugar following meals
Cinnamon can lower blood sugar following meals, possibly by slowing stomach emptying and blocking digestive enzymes.
