There are several critical ailments that humans become subjected to as they grow old, both female and male. Diabetes is among such diseases that affect a major part of the global population. It can be caused by genetic roots in some cases, while some people aggravate its onset by resorting to unsuitable diet and sedentary lifestyle. It can pave way to the onset of other life threatening ailment to long run. For treating diabetes and keeping it in control, you can resort to various methods. However, it is better that you resort to using natural and herbal extracts compared to using strong medications that can affect health adversely.
Cinnamon For Diabetes Treatment
Among various natural agents used to treat diabetes, cinnamon deserves a special place. This herb, long used as a cooking ingredient in various cuisines to add flavour to the dishes, can serve as your natural weapon to thwart diabetes. It is said to be useful in regulating blood sugar levels.
Cinnamon is a sweet tasting spice with a pungent flavour extracted from wild cinnamon tree branches. It is harvested mostly in the Caribbean, South America and Southeast Asia.
How Cinnamon Helps Control Diabetes
Cinnamon is available in two variants- cassia cinnamon and Ceylon cinnamon. The former variant has been used the most for research so far. Cinnamon aids the metabolism process in the human body in the following ways:
- It can hike your glucose metabolism by a large margin, which ensures good blood sugar regulation.
- Doctors have often found it to possess insulin-like effects. It has also been supported by finding of quite a few studies.
- It can help boost up your body’s antioxidant defences.
- It reduces emptying of the stomach and that diminishes blood sugar rise post meals.
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How To Use Cinnamon To Control Diabetes
You can use cinnamon in a number of ways to keep diabetes in check, as it is. Since it is used as a spice to make various dishes, oral intake is the best suited method.
1. As A Supplement
After talking with your doctor and a diet expert, you may start taking a cinnamon supplement. A low dose supplement will not cause any reactions in most instances.
2. Use It As A Sweetener
In some recipes, you can use it in place of sugar. The ideal recipes are sauces, meat based dishes. It will help reduce sugar intake and hence improve the blood glucose levels. You may also use it with salads.
3. As Cooking Ingredient
To make certain foods, including baked ones, such as cakes, muffins, breads at home you can sue cinnamon. The flavour will make the baked dishes awesome.
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Safety Concerns
While several researches have indicated that Cinnamon use is safe for treating diabetes in humans. A few safety concerns still exist.
- People with liver issues need to be careful as consuming high amounts of this spice can enhance liver problems.
- Before buying a cinnamon supplement, ensure it has quality seal.
- As cinnamon may reduce blood sugar levels you should not use it along with medications and supplements that also lower the sugar levels with ingredients such as garlic, bitter melon and Alpha lipoic acid.
- Taking excess cinnamon can also lead to digestive issues in some people.
- People with blood clotting issue should reduce taking cinnamon since it contains a blood thinning agent called coumarin.
Doctors advise that you can intake cinnamon to keep diabetes in check but it would be wrong to treat as a remedy for the ailment. It cannot substitute the benefits of regular exercise, a balanced diet and specific medications to control diabetes.