Spices and Herbs
Recent studies have determined that consuming as little as one-half a teaspoon of cinnamon daily may reduce blood sugar, cholesterol (LDL) and triglyceride levels by as much as 20% in type 2 diabetes who are not taking insulin.
The dried bark of the cinnamon tree is one of the world’s oldest known spices. It is mentioned in the earliest Chinese botanical dialogue, which dates back to about 2800 BC, as well as in Egyptian papyruses and the Bible.
According to a research study by Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center in Maryland, cinnamon helps control blood sugar and cholesterol in people with Type 2 diabetes increases cells’ sensitivity to insulin. After 40 days, subjects taking cinnamon reduced their blood sugar and triglycerides by an average of 25 percent, and they saw a nearly 20 percent improvement in LDL (bad) cholesterol.
The active ingredient in cinnamon turned out to be a water-soluble polyphenol compound called MHCP. MHCP mimics insulin, activates its receptors and works synergistically with insulin in cells.
This element can only be found in the powdered forms of cinnamon, but not in oils. One-half teaspoon or less does the trick, so sprinkle a little cinnamon on your toast, cereal, (hot or cold), coffee and tea.
Cinnamon
